Malaga showcases its products at the Salón de Gourmets

The Sabor a Málaga brand works to promote the agricultural and food products of Malaga and has for the fifth year running sponsored a stand at the selective Feria Internacional de Alimentación y Bebidas de Calidad Salón de Gourmets in Madrid.

The event, which ran from 7-9 May and is one of the biggest in Europe, showcased select and innovative quality products from 36 producers in Malaga.

The Salón de Gourmets is dedicated to companies in the agricultural and food industry and every year many of the most prestigious and reputable professionals from the gastronomy sector attend.

As in previous years, Sabor a Málaga had a stand to present their brands and another to do 'showcooking' at the fair which serves as a showcase for quality Malaga products and establishes contacts with other professionals in the sector.

Brands and denominations

Extra virgin olive oils, Aloreña table olives, cooked and processed meats, wines with Denominación de Origen (DO) Málaga and Sierras de Málaga, beers and distilled beverages such as mango gin, Malaga goat cheeses and milk products, artesan breads, traditional cakes, ecological and dried fruits, guacamole and saffron were some of the products promoted at the fair.

Besides this there were various activities such as olive oil, beer and wine tastings and gastronomy workshops such as the cocktail making class run by Victor Valera.

There were also live cooking demonstrations with some of the best chefs in the province such as Sergio Garrido, Alejandra Pérez, Ignacio Carmona, Victor Gutiérrez, Meme Rodríguez, Miguel Herrera, Antonio Alfaro and Rubén Antón.

The gastronomy blogger, Manu Balanzino was also there as were the winners of the Joven Chef Sabor a Málaga, Nayin Márquez Ortiz and Francisco Ruiz Brosed.

Jamón from an 'extinct' breed

The Rubio Rondeño is a breed of native pig that was considered extinct but which has been revived thanks to the Departamento de Genética at Cordoba University, the Centro Experimental Agrícola Ganadero and the Finca La Algaba in Ronda. It has taken three years but finally the first meat products from this breed have been presented at the Salón de Gourmets for the first time ever.

The costs of raising this breed, which takes a minimum of three years, compared to year and a half of other breeds, mean the resulting products are suitable for the luxury gourmet market and for exportation. However a company spokesperson has said that cured hams will be available commercially from this Christmas.