Friday, July 19, 2024, 12:56
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The Axarquía district in the east of the province of Malaga is made up of 31 municipalities where a wide variety of food products can be found that are unique to the region.
From Alexandria Muscat sparkling wine to avocado mayonnaise or extra virgin olive oil made from a local variety of olives, the offer is extensive. There are traditional products and very innovative ones and here are a few of them.
Although they are called ‘Tortas de Algarrobo’, they are also made in bakeries in neighbouring Caleta de Vélez. The cakes made with olive oil have become one of the most famous sweet products in the Axarquía. The traditional ‘torta de aceite’ (olive oil cake) mixes olive oil with wheat flour, sugar, green anise, cinnamon and almonds. Tortas Lupiáñez, Pastelería Ramos and La Caleteña are the main producers of this cake, which can be plain or filled with cream or chocolate.
A culinary tradition during Holy Week in Vélez-Málaga is ajobacalao. It is a pate made with cod flakes, bread, water, paprika and extra virgin olive oil. It is a delicious pate that can be served as an aperitif with bread, breadsticks or crackers and even as a side dish to a meal. Lujo del Paladar, also known for its croquettes, is probably the most popular brand of pate, which is traditionally made at home on the occasion of Easter.
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Honey rum from Frigiliana
In addition to the concentrated sugar cane syrup traditionally known as ‘miel de caña’ (sugar cane honey) from Frigiliana, the De la Torre company makes other products from sugar cane, such as sweets and honey rum. It is sold in 70 cl bottles and has an alcohol content of 20 proof.
A mayonnaise made with avocados. That is the concept of this product produced by Paltavo. Unlike traditional mayonnaise, it contains avocado and no egg in its ingredients and is fresh. Other ingredients include garlic, spinach and coriander. The company that produces it is owned by Trópico Spain, based in the Axarquía. This sauce is ideal for use in sandwiches, poké bowls, tartares, Mexican fajitas or to accompany meat or fish, among many other options.
Naturmel, based in Colmenar, sells different varieties of avocado honey from the Axarquía through a number of local beekeeping companies and in other parts of the province of Malaga. Its taste and properties make it very different from other single-variety honeys on the market.
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Canillas de Aceituno blood sausage
Canillas de Aceituno black pudding is a traditional dish from this Axarquía village, which is now made almost exclusively by the village’s Adorín butcher shop. It is similar in ingredients and preparation to those from certain areas of Granada and Jaén. Onion is fundamental to the characteristic flavour of this black pudding. A by-product of the black pudding (morcilla) that is also marketed is known as ‘malcocinao’, a spread made from the leftover fat with a hint of spicy paprika.
A small company in Torre del Mar produces and sells a range of energy bars with natural ingredients and no added sugars or artificial additives. Dried fruit, nuts and a high fibre content are the keys to the success of this product, which can now be found both in Malaga and abroad. Some bars are made with a nod to the Axarquía, such as the dried mango bars.
Canillas de Aceituno suckling goat is not only eaten at Christmas, it can be bought all year round. There are several options to take home this gastronomic product, lovingly made by a family business in the village that has been linked to the tradition of roasting goat for decades.
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Premium verdial de Vélez variety EVOO
In the upper Axarquía there is an olive variety that is exclusive to this part of Malaga. It is known as verdial de Vélez. Of the olive oil mills that work with it, those in Periana (the San José Artesano cooperative in Mondrón and San Isidro in the village itself) are worth mentioning. Both sell this variety as extra virgin, although in the case of Mondrón they also have a high-quality premium verdial EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), made from the first olives of the season. This is the Único de Mondrón, which is surprising both for its flavour and its elegant bottle.
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Sparkling wines from Alexandria Muscat
The Axarquía is also known for its muscat grapes, from which very exclusive wines and raisins are made. In addition to sweet, white or even vermouthed wines, sparkling wines are also produced. In the latter, a distinction must be made between those with injected bubbles and those with the traditional ‘champenoise’ method, such as the Tártratos from Dimobe. In this case, it is a ‘brut’ made exclusively and exclusively with muscat grapes. In this way, it undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, which allows the natural development of carbon dioxide and therefore of the characteristic bubbles of this type of sparkling wine. In addition to being a milestone in the wine-growing history of Malaga for the method used, it should be noted that this is a Gran Reserva, which has been aged in the bottle for 30 months.
*Other very exclusive products from the Axarquía include the muscat raisins, the handmade chocolate with cocoa from Peru and mango from the Axarquía (MayChoco), the roscos carreros and the resoli from Alfarnate, the EVOO from the nevaíllo variety, the rosé wines with red romé grapes or the vermouths based on muscat, to name just a few.
