The Diputació de Castelló will promote the benefits of gastronomic tourism in the interior of the province through the XVI Mostra de la Tòfona Negra de l’Alt Maestrat, which will take place next February 9 and 10 in the town of Catí. This was announced by the provincial deputy of Rural Development and mayor of the town, Pablo Roig, who presented the initiative at Madrid Fusion together with the ambassador of Castelló Ruta de Sabor, Martín Berasategui. Roig assures that “we are consolidating this exhibition as one of the oldest and most renowned in Spain, which gives it the maximum added value to all the work we are doing to position our province as the best Mediterranean bounty”.

It should be noted that this is a monographic fair that is repeated every year, on an itinerant basis, in the municipalities of Benassal, Culla, Catí and Albocàsser, at the height of the harvesting season and when it has its greatest aromatic and flavor properties. Both truffle growers, technicians, scientists and marketers, habitual consumers of this emblematic and exceptional product, and those who wish to get to know it for the first time, meet every year at this event.

A full program of activities for all audiences

During the whole week, in the tent of the fairgrounds, located between Mossén Joan Puig street and Plaça del Sol square, will be the stage for several activities for all the public, where there will be a market with more than twenty exhibitor booths linked to the sector, sale of fresh truffle and elaborated products, mycorrhizal plants, marinades… In addition, the enclosure will have a new ‘Hostal de la tapa trufada’ where attendees can taste truffle elaborations, thanks to the collaboration of local associations. Likewise, a multitude of parallel activities have been prepared, aimed at both professionals and the general public.

On Saturday 10th in the morning, there will be a practical workshop on truffle cats and a workshop on spore identification by the Truffle Farming Advisory Service of the Diputació de Castelló, which will also be repeated in the afternoon in a second session. To participate in these two activities it is necessary to register in advance at www.trufamaestrat.es.

At 4:30 pm is scheduled the presentation of the Truffle Growers Association of Castelló (TRUFCAS). In the same way, at 17:30h, the fairgrounds will host a children’s cooking workshop sponsored by the AMPA of Catí, at 18:30h, a showcooking with tasting and commented tasting of wine from the IGP Castelló by David Buch, president of the Association of Sommeliers of Castelló and Province (ASUCAP), as well as the musical performance of the group Decajón, which will close the day.

On Sunday morning, at 11:30 am, an interesting practical lecture “Quality, preservation, aromas and differentiation of truffle species” will be given by Pedro Marco from the Agroalimentary Research and Technology Center of Aragon. The traditional ‘Concurs de la trufa de major pes’, sponsored by La Unió de Llauradors i Ramaders. From 10:45h to 11:30h, at the stand of the Union will take place the reception of the specimens participating in this contest, the verification of their weight and their exhibition to the public. The trophies must be presented in good condition and free of any kind of impurity. It should be noted that, in previous editions of the show, the winning truffles were around 400 gr., for which reason, the event organizers encourage participation in the contest in search of “a record truffle”.

At 11:30 a.m. a new edition of the contest of cats searching for black tophona, the tuber melanosporum, will be held. This competition is one of the events that generates the most expectation and where the olfactory qualities to locate this precious fungus are put to the test. The participants, coming from different parts of the national geography, will opt for a trophy and prizes in metal.

At 13:00h, the showcooking with tasting of the private chef and finalist of the prestigious contest “Cuiner de l’Any”, Sergio Salvador, will be the last of the acts before the awards ceremony.

More investment to position the products of Castelló

Actions such as the promotion of this Mostra de la Tòfona Negra de l’Alt Maestrat or the participation just concluded at Madrid Fusión are part of the strategic commitment of the Diputació de Castellón to help improve the consumption of local products of the province through its brand Castelló Ruta de Sabor.

Thus, the provincial government will raise next year to 987,000 euros its investment directly for this purpose and, thus, consolidate its commitment to gastronomy as a generator of new opportunities for the municipalities of the province. It should be noted that after four years of trajectory, this brand of the Provincial Council, Castelló Ruta de Sabor, has managed to bring together more than 100 producers from 15 different food sectors, two designations of origin, a Protected Geographical Indication and 6 products with the Natural Park distinction.