St. Petersburg river

Music

00:00

Makler: The incomparable city of St. Petersburg, celebrating the onset of northern summer and 24 hours of daylight. Russian women are out here enjoying themselves. Well, most of them are. A small group has stayed indoors, to learn how to be good housewives instead.

00:20

Women in kitchen.

Woman: The more butter you put the longer it takes to rise. You should bear that in mind.

00:37

Makler: Single and divorced, in their teens and in their forties, Russia's first school for housewives, has attracted all types. They learn a range of skills, including of course, cooking.

00:46

And today's lesson is that Russian staple -- dumplings.

00:59

Olga

Olga: yes, of course I know how to cook, but you see any wife has her secrets - and here we exchange our secrets with each other.

01:02

Music/singing

01:20

Makler: This enterprise has a personal beginning. It's the brainchild of this man -- Valery Gusev, a local businessman who didn't like his wife's cooking.

01:30

Valery

Valery: One morning after having eaten another inedible breakfast I tactfully advise my wife to go to housewives school. She sincerely wanted to do so but it turned out there was no such school. So I had to open one.

01:39

St. Petersburg streets

Music

02:05

Makler: Valery Gusev found a building in one of the most beautiful villages in Russia, in a monastery built by the csar, which had lain in ruins since the revolution. Then Valery Gusev staffed and funded the school. I guess it was easier than learning to cook for himself.

02:25

Valery

Valery: Yes, of course, she cooks better and her attitude is different to before. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

02:41

School

Women sewing

02:54

Makler: It appears that the way to man's heart is also through sewing and gardening and medicinal knowledge too.

02:59

Garden

Music

03:05

Makler: But this venture also has a serious side, feeding into Russia's spiritual reawakening following the collapse of communism.

03:11

Singing

03:18

Makler: The women are learning to be good Russian Orthodox wives. Modelled on a school for the wives of priests that was here more than 100 years ago. But it appears they're not being taught that other 19th century skill -- how to catch a husband.

03:27

Olga

Olga: We are all so busy that there is no talk of a husband yet.

03:45

Butusova

Butusova: To find a husband is not the main goal.

03:50

Kitchen

Cake taken out of oven/applause

03:54

St. Petersburg Montage.

Music

04:03

Makler: I suppose there are worse places in the world to learn how to cook.

04:18

End

Fade out

04:32