ANOTHER world food record has been smashed in Spain – a fairly typical, or at least very popular one – although some might say it has happened at the wrong time of year.
Turrón, rather like panettone, plum pudding, turkey and yule logs, is not conventionally eaten in September, but the amount consumed nationwide in the space of a day or two is normally enough to keep manufacturers' bills paid for the remaining 360-plus days.
Apparently not just a festive treat, but also dished up in September (photo by the Consejo Regulador, or Regulatory Council for turrón as a brand)
That said, a lean Christmas, especially in times of financial crisis or, like in 2020, when nobody felt like or was able to celebrate properly, can be disastrous for an industry that has to then wait a whole calendar year to 'try again'.
For this reason, you can still find turrón in the supermarkets at any time of year, albeit occupying much-reduced shelf space, rather than taking over the entire store the way it does all through December.
After all, nobody would refuse to eat a chocolate egg just because 'it's not Easter yet'.
A brief back-story about turrón
Whilst popular all over the country and even imported by the tonne to the USA, turrón is more typically found on sale in the Comunidad Valenciana, the part which occupies about a third of the east coast stretch – it may not be de rigueur for the holidays in Madrid, Barcelona or Andalucía, for example, but it's almost impossible to escape for those living in the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón.
That's because it was traditionally made in the inland southern-Alicante province town of Jijona – largely, it still is, but has a much wider audience nowadays.
Given that its main ingredients are almond and honey – with a bit of whipped egg-white – it is thought to have originated during the Mediaeval era when Spain's predominant ethnic was Arab, as this community introduced both these plant-based goods into the country.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com