PABLO GARRIGÓS IBÁÑEZ
Selection of the finest natural ingredients, from Marcona IGP almonds harvested in the Mediterranean coastal areas to orange blossoms and rosemary honey typical of the mountains of the east coast; total respect for traditional methods and exclusive use of traditional recipes. Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez's nougats and gourmet sweets tell a story that speaks Spanish and transports us to a world of gastronomic excellence, where expertise has been lost over time but looks to the future of quality confectionery production.
An ancient and traditional recipe
Even today, Garrigós nougat and sweets are handmade by skilled Mestre Terroner, following ancient recipes and personally selecting only raw materials of the highest proven quality. Such as the fragrant honey produced in these areas, which are rich in aromatic plants such as rosemary, thyme, lavender, and orange blossoms. And, of course, the Marcona almonds, buttery and round in shape, highly prized and less woody than their Italian counterparts.
And then, of course, there is compliance with the directives of the Consejo Regulador de las Denominaciones de Origen Jijona-Alicante (Regulatory Council of the Jijona-Alicante Designations of Origin); not just a legal entity that establishes the rules and parameters for obtaining the designation, but a ‘living’ reality that actively participates in the creation of these delicacies, providing all registered companies (including Garrigós) with a production facility.
This is located in the exact center of the village of Jijona: a very old factory that seems to belong to a bygone era. Inside, for a few months of the year, the various turroneros take turns sharing the machinery, but each chooses the ingredients and recipes with which to make their own products.
It is therefore the ingredients and craftsmanship that make the difference between the various types of nougat on the market. Garrigós, for example, has chosen not to limit itself to the minimum quantity of almonds imposed by the regulations (52%): the excellence of its Jijona nougat is guaranteed by a very high percentage of Marcona almonds, equal to 74%, while its Alicante nougat is characterized by a 67% almond content.
These significant quantities contribute to the structure not only of the flavor—fragrant and intense—but also of the texture of the nougat: crumbly enough to be cut with a simple knife, but at the same time compact and buttery. An unparalleled, instantly recognizable flavor that can make all the difference in your Christmas dessert basket, but also as an ingredient in special dishes, such as sauces to accompany fish or as a base for ice cream.
Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez has a true vocation: he lives to produce the best nougat in the world. And with excellent results, we might add! That's why his nougats were among the first “rare and precious” foods to be included in our catalog over 20 years ago. And that's why we could never do without them on our Christmas table.
Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez, the excellence of Spanish nougat
Ci sono pochi alimenti che raccontano la tradizione di un paese come il Torrone di Alicante IGP e il Torrone di Jijona IGP riescono a farlo per la Spagna.
Lo sa bene Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez che da oltre un quarto di secolo ha scelto di aderire al disciplinare del Consejo Regulador delle Denominazioni di Origine Jijona-Alicante e di produrli proprio a Jijona, piccolo paesino della provincia di Alicante, nella comunità autonoma di Valencia.
È solo in questa zona infatti che si raccolgono le pregiatissime mandorle Marcona, che rappresentano l’ingrediente principe con cui vengono preparate queste eccellenze della gastronomia dolciaria spagnola, apprezzate in tutto il mondo.
La scelta di Garrigós può contare su una competenza costruita intorno a tre generazioni di mastri produttori di torrone. Un’azienda la sua, incentrata nella ricerca della qualità totale, nel rispetto di una tradizione profondamente radicata e in un saper fare artigianale che affonda le sue radici molto indietro nel tempo.
Basta infatti pensare che le prime testimonianze scritte di questa produzione risalgono addirittura al 1531, con il torrone spagnolo che appare nelle liste dei prodotti d’eccellenza importati dagli arabi.
This is how Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez's soft Jijona nougat is made.
As Swiss mathematician Jacques Bernoulli said: “Nature always tends to act in the simplest way.” If we had to describe Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez's famous Jijona IGP nougat in an aphorism, we couldn't choose a better phrase. All we would have to do is replace the word ‘nature’ with “goodness” and we're done. In fact, if we think about it, this excellence is achieved “only” by cooking honey together with Marcona almonds and egg whites.
It seems very simple, and in fact, the procedure is not complex. But what transforms these humble steps into an exclusive international confectionery delicacy is the perfect mix of top-quality raw materials, artisan know-how, and the secrets contained in the steps of a traditional recipe.
In practice? The almonds are first roasted over a high heat in special cylinders called “tostadores.” Separately, in a special container, the molasses (sugar, glucose, and honey) is cooked over a high heat, then the egg whites are added, and finally the roasted almonds.
If we stopped at this point, we would have made the recipe for Alicante nougat. However, in the case of the soft nougat from Jijona, we are only at the first step: to achieve the final result, there is still a long way to go, strewn with secrets.
The first of these has a specific name, boixet, a mortar-shaped machine equipped with a large stone pestle, which was invented in this small village in the autonomous community of Valencia, perched on top of a mountain. This is the birthplace of soft turrón, and it is here that the alchemy of goodness takes place. In practice, when the paste for Alicante nougat is ready, it is spread by hand while still hot into sheets about 1 cm thick on a cooling surface. Once cooled, the sheets are placed inside the boixet where they are pounded and mixed again for a long time, and more almonds are added.
According to the PGI regulations of the Consejo Regulador de las Denominaciones de Origen Jijona-Alicante, the percentage of Marcona almonds in Jijona nougat cannot be less than 52% for the Jijona PGI Extra type and 64% for the Jijona PGI Suprema type. In the case of Pablo Garrigós Ibáñez's soft nougat, the percentage is as high as 74%: an incredible amount, especially when compared to the already high percentage of his Alicante nougat, which is around 67%.
The process inside the boixet can take hours. This is the time needed for the Mestre Terroner to cook and mix the nougat to perfection – or, as they say here, “arrematar” – and make sure it doesn't burn or get too hot and become too compact. In the end, the result should be an almost liquid but nicely compact paste. This is referred to as a very “arrematado” nougat, indicating that it has spent a long time in the boixet to achieve the ideal consistency.
Are we done? Not yet, because when the turronero decides that the nougat has the ideal graininess, the mixture, still hot, must be left to rest for 24 hours before being cut and packaged in the classic wooden boxes, sealed with wax.
The result is a sweet, crumbly nougat with an intense almond and honey flavor. An oily nougat—due to the significant presence of almonds—with a slightly sandy texture that can be easily cut with a knife. To the eye, it has a slightly rough surface, with the chopped almonds still clearly visible inside.
A must on the Christmas table, but also a versatile food that can be used in the preparation of special dishes such as a sauce to accompany foie gras or as an ingredient in cakes, ice cream, and cookies.
