The foods of Aragon are essential elements of its culture, traditions, and noble character. Meats, wines, beers, fruits and vegetables, pasta and sweets, oils, delicacies like caviar and black truffles, spices like saffron… An endless larder of distinctive quality to suit all tastes and palates, which we will discover one by one. We continue with the almond and its importance in Aragon.
Aragon, with 70.000 hectares of almond orchards, is one of Spain's leading almond-producing regions, a nut of great importance to our community. Although they may all look the same, there are several varieties of almond. The most widely cultivated in the region are Guara, Isabelona, Belona, Largueta, Marcona, and Comuna.
The main producing areas include Los Monegros, Valdejalón, Calatayud, and Bajo/Baix Cinca, each with unique characteristics that contribute to the richness of the regional production . The almond harvest in Aragon began at the end of August, with a projected yield of 22.000 tons.
The Agri-food Research and Technology Centre of Aragon (CITA) has played a crucial role in the development of modern almond varieties since the 60s, working on the genetic improvement of the almond tree and on solving problems such as pollination and frost, as well as the development of new varieties of this nut.
Thanks to these advances, Aragon has become a world leader in almond production and development, with varieties that are not only grown in Spain, but also in other countries such as Australia, South Africa and Chile.
Almonds contain high levels of antioxidants that help combat stress and aging. They are also an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium. They are a traditional ingredient in Aragonese cuisine, used in a variety of recipes such as guirlache (a type of nougat) and candied almonds, or the Christmas dish "Cardoon in Almond Sauce."
More info and recipes with almonds HERE
