The president of the Provincial Council of Castellón, Javier Moliner, has inaugurated this afternoon the XVI Mostra de la Trufa Negra de l’Alt Maestrat in Catí as a real national epicenter of truffle growing throughout the weekend. With this consolidated initiative, the Provincial Government advances in its commitment to the enhancement and promotion of the truffle in favor of the generation of wealth and opportunities for the future in the villages where it is produced in the interior of Castellón.

“The large attendance from the very first hour, the quality with which it has been organized, its location, are all factors that make us foresee a real success. We come from a few weeks in which we have accompanied the different sectors in fairs as important as Cevisama, Fitur or Madrid Fusion, and today we inaugurate a fair that being smaller is equally important for the territory. Because if there is a territory that has its future hope in a product, it is this region and other similar ones, such as Els Ports or El Palancia, around the truffle. Because we are aware that depending on what we are able to do around the truffle today will depend to a large extent that in the future the new generations can stay and live here, working here, because we are very aware of the economy that can bring a product like this if we do things right. That is why we became obsessed eight years ago with making the truffle the first page of the agenda of our province”.

That is why the president has also assured that “we have come a long way on this path, there is much more talk about truffles, there is much more support and in this path you have the Provincial Government as an ally along with the truffle growers. Because there are still infinite possibilities for this product, and from the Provincial Government we will continue to bet on generating the best opportunities for the future in our villages”.

Thus, the Provincial Government promotes with a contribution of 10,000 euros this massive event that will bring hundreds of people to Catí contributing not only to value this product, but also to energize the area with a clear influx of visitors in shops and restaurants. So much so that visitors from places like Guadalajara, Cuenca, Teruel, Madrid, Tarragona, Lleida or Barcelona have already confirmed their participation.

The mayor of Catí and provincial deputy of Rural Development, Pablo Roig, thanked the support of the Provincial Council to this type of events through Castelló Ruta de Sabor, as well as the involvement of the various groups of the town that have collaborated in its achievement. “For the future of our towns it is very important to make the truffle known, and fairs like this one help a lot to boost the activity and also to discover the properties of a product as rich as the truffle”.

It should be noted that the mostra is a monographic fair that is repeated every year, in an itinerant way, in the municipalities of Benassal, Culla, Catí and Albocàsser, at the most intense moment of the truffle harvesting season and when it has its greatest aromatic and flavor properties. Both truffle growers, technicians, scientists and marketers, regular consumers of this emblematic and exceptional product, as well as those who wish to approach it for the first time, gather annually at this event.

Dozens of activities to liven up the weekend

Throughout the weekend, in the marquee of the fairgrounds, located between the street Mosén Joan Puig and Plaza del Sol, dozens of activities for all audiences are developed. There is a market with more than twenty booths linked to the sector, selling fresh truffles and processed products, mycorrhizal plants, fertilizers and other products.

In addition, the enclosure has a new ‘Truffled Tapas Table’ where attendees can taste truffle preparations, thanks to the collaboration of local associations. There will also be a multitude of parallel activities, aimed at both professionals and the general public.

This morning a practical workshop on truffle dog training and a spore identification workshop was held by the Truffle Advisory Service of the Castellón Provincial Council, which will also be repeated in the afternoon in a second shift.

At 4:30 pm is scheduled the presentation of the Association of Truffle Growers of Castellón (TRUFCAS). Similarly, 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 wine tasting of the PGI Castellón by David Buch, president of the Association of Sommeliers of Castellón and Province (ASUCAP), as well as the musical performance of the group Decajón, which will close the day.

For tomorrow morning, at 11:30 am, is scheduled the interesting talk – practice “Quality, conservation, aromas and differentiation of truffle species”, by Pedro Marco of the Center for Agrifood Research and Technology of Aragon. Not to be missed will be the traditional ‘Contest of the heaviest truffle’, sponsored by La Unió de Llauradors i Ramaders. From 10:45h to 11:30h, at the stand of La Unió, the truffles participating in this contest will be received, their weight will be checked and they will be exhibited to the public. The truffles must be in good condition and free of any impurities. It should be noted that, in previous editions of the mostra, the winning truffles were around 400 gr., so the organizers of the event encourage participation in the contest in search of “a truffle of record”.

At 11:30 a.m. a new edition of the black truffle, latuber melanosporum, searching dogs competition will be held. This competition is one of the events that generates more expectation and where dogs can test their olfactory qualities to locate this precious fungus. The participants, who come from different parts of the country, will compete for trophies and cash prizes.

At 13:00h, the showcooking with tasting of the private chef and finalist of the prestigious contest “Chef of the Year”, Sergio Salvador, will be the last of the events before the awards ceremony.

More investment to position Castellón’s products

Actions such as the promotion of this Mostra de la Trufa Negra de l’Alt Maestrat or the recent participation in Madrid Fusion are part of the strategic commitment of the Diputación 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 this year to 987,000 euros its investment directly for this purpose and thus consolidate its commitment to gastronomy as a generator of new opportunities in 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 distinctive Natural Park.