Today, I want to talk to you about the Valley of the Jerte (Extremadura).
The Valley of the Jerte
In this Valley, you can find surely the best “picota cherry”, in Spain, and, probably, in all the world.
Picotas cherry
I want to show you a video, where you can see how they pick picotas cherry. If you want to watch the video, please click on the link below:
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/agrosfera/agrosfera-mucho-gusto-picotas-del-valle-del-jerte/2640455/
Voice in off: “Anibal spent two weeks, picking picota cherrys and looking up to sky, because it is concerned that a storm spoils a good campaign”
Anibal del Alta (Producer of picotas cherry): “In a matter of kilos, it is a good campaign, in kilos; what happens is that in calibers, it will be the thing a little loose, because there is much ... well, are the cherry trees... ..cheery trees they have enough kilos. Then, having much load, the fruit will not develop these calibres of 28 or 26 ...; will be some gauges 24, 26 ... Enough "first", a little bit of "chocolate"……”
Voice in off: “In the Jerte, hope to collect, cherry, 35 million kilos, of which 10 are in picotas cherry. A production, that 65% goes to foreign markets”.
Pilar Diaz (Technical Director of the Denomination of Origin): “Cherry of the Jerte”): “Our main markets are: UK ... and, then, it is exported to countries like Germany, Italy .... and, this year, it has been made, together with the Government of Extremadura, we have made a promotion campaign, in Denmark, Estonia and Brazil”
Voice in off: “Are the earliest picotas cherry, which are produced in the bottom of the slopes. As the days pass, they will be collected those above, the sweetest and valued, by the hours of sun they receive. When they finish, on the field, begins the work of them”
Ana Isabel Beato (Cerecera = a woman dedicated to prepare cherry): “This work has always been ... it has been made by women.... calibration is more…….it is a delicate job, you have to do it with patience ... Cherry is a very delicate fruit and then women are always responsible of doing it”
Voice in off: “Here, they take away the leaves or any other debris. At the entrance of Cooperatives, pass quality control; then, they separate them by size; and next, they clean them; then, they are ready for packaging”.
Nicolas Morales (Manager of the Cooperative of the Campo Navaconcejo): “The price of picota cherry does not vary much, from year to year. Prices are usually more or less, agreed. Then, in England, this year the price, per kilo, is 5 cents higher than the last year. In Spain: something similar. The good thing, that picota cherry has is that the price is already known about in advance”
Voice in off: “With small size, very tasty and crunchy texture, the picota cherry from the Jerte is ideal to accompany manufactured dishes, such as is proposed by the prestigious chef, Jesus Almagro: one with meat lamb neck, because he says about it that.... ..”
Jesus Almagro: “All of this nust be eaten: from the head to the neck; so we used today this part, really ... usually not used to make a dish of haute cuisine”
Voice in off: “Cooked at low temperature, marked in skillet and heat stroke in the oven; It is paired to perfection with others products from Extremadura, as Serena cheese, liquefied. Accompany it with Migas (typical dish of the Aragonese cuisine made with bread crums, olive oil, grapes and pork) with paprika and, of course, with candied cherry on cherry liqueur”.
Jesus Almagro (Chef): “That neck of lamb confit, it will be very honeyed --which stays stuck with you--, but, drape it with a cherry, it will wash your mouth, it will leave your mouth much cleaner, to return to eat that piece of lamb”
Voice in off: “Cherries and picotas cherry, for marry (combine) with savory dishes; but, above all, in a variety of desserts”
Cherries with chocolate
Jesus Almagro: “What I like is that it is seasonal: ....... that cherry is seen only once .....; it is not like tomatoes, that you can bring .., or cucumber or peach or pineapple ... No, no, no .... here are just cherry, coming out in May, June and .......... and ..... and it is over”
Voice in off: “And moreover, the picota cherry, from the Jerte, is unique for its high vitamin content, its antioxidant and moisturizing properties”.
Well, I hope that you can come to the Valley of the Jerte and eat this wonderful fruit.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
Sponsored by Costaluz Lawyers.
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