VISITANOS EN RECINTO FERIAL GRAN VIA

PABELLÓN 6 - MUNDIDULCE

CALLE C

STAND 80

The production process of Alicante's turron starts by toasting the almonds. They are toasted in toasters or toasting drums. This stage is constant1y controlled by the Toaster', who is the person in charge of giving the almond the right toasting-point. The Toaster also checks the time and temperature which differs from the almond humidity.

Once the almond is toasted, it is taken out of the drums and weighed in baskets following the compulsory process of the protected geographical indication "Turrón de Jijona" and "Turrón de Alicante ", which at the end of the process produces a paste with a certain percentage of almonds.

Next, the honey is Weighed and boiled. The sugar and the egg whites are whisked and boiled in the mixing machine, "El Melero" is crucial at this point. He is the person in charge of controlling the timing for whisking and boiling to get the "punto de hilo" mixing-point and the proper colour of the mix.

The Melero also has the duty of checking whether the mixing-point is the right one. He makes it by dipping a metallic stick in the mix. The honey that sticks to the stick is cooled by the Melero and when it starts to crack, means that it has achieved the breaking point. The Melero also checks the colour of the mix which has to have a white yellowish colour. The cooking times are set following the standards of the regulating council.

When the Melero gives his consent to the cooking, he does not only mean that the "Punto de Hilo" has been achieved but the temperatures through all of the process have been, appropriate, therefore, the quality is assured as well as the food-protection of the mix.

Once again, the Melero has to give his consent to proceed to put the toasted almonds in the mixing machine, flipping the paste to combine the honey and the almonds.

The paste is taken out using a tool called "les punxes", which is very similar to serving sticks. It is then taken to a table to be put in a rectangular or round shape mould. After they are molded, they are covered with wafer-thin slides, allowing the paste to cool down through a cooling tunnel or at room temperature. In contrast, in Alicante, the turron is cut before cooling and then packed.

The production process of Jijona's turron starts in the same way as Alicante's, first by toasting the almonds and boiling the honey, then the paste is taken out the mixing machine and put in to frames, then cooling at room temperature.

Once the paste is cooled, the Molinero, who is the person in charge of the grinding and smoothing state of turron puts the cooled paste into the Hill with the toasted almonds. Then the paste is grinded using granite rollers. This result in a dense paste and then later when it is smooth, it is taken to the turron frames.

After having left the paste to settle, it is taken back to cook for a second time using a "boixet", mortar. The reason for that is to emulsify the paste again, mixing the liquid stage (proteins, sugars and fibres) and the fats (almond oil). The process could be described as similar to whisking oil and eggs to make mayonnaise.

During this process the Arrematador, the given name for the person in charge at this stage, slowly increases the heat the "boixet" in order to warm the paste following the standards of the regulating council of Jijona's and A1icante's turron. This process is checked by "the master cook" and is so until it gets to the cooking point. At this stage the paste starts to curl and achieves the optimized emulsion point or "punto de arrematado".

Finally, the almond paste must be smoothed and "the master cook" will order "the Arrematadores" to use the serving sticks to pour the fine-grain of almonds to the final paste, next the almond paste is taken out and poured in molds to settle during 24 hours before cutting and packing.