It is not a region that stands out for being well known at the gastronomic level, but for Made in Spain Gourmet, it was quite a find. A privileged climate, which gives its products a plus and some people who know how to make wonders thanks to it.

• Antonieta Fruits: fruit in its essence
• Montsec saffron: recovery through traditions
• Alemany 1879, a sweet universe of the highest quality

La Noguera is a region that is in the province of Lérida. In which two clearly differentiated areas can be distinguished. A mountain located to the north and formed by the Sierra del Montsec, with peaks that reach up to 1600 m high, and another much flatter, about 300 m high, where we can find large areas of fruit and vegetable cultivation. .

Watered by several rivers that come from the Pyrenees, we can say that it is a very fortunate region from the hydrographic point of view. Green and blue are very characteristic colors of the region, with a landscape touch very much from the Middle Ages, which transports you to another time. For someone from the city like me, it's wonderful.

The Noguera It is the largest region in Catalonia, although it barely has 40.000 inhabitants, and that makes it a quiet place, with a relaxed life, at your own pace. Balaguer, the capital, is a beautiful town in which important traces of medieval times are preserved. I imagine that you already wanted to visit it, right?

Well, that is what we recommend when you can do it.

Antonieta Fruits: fruit in its essence

The climate splits the region in two, to the south it is more continental Mediterranean and towards Balaguer, to the north, it is more mountainous Mediterranean with rains in spring and autumn, although in the north it also tends to rain in winter. The temperatures are extreme, with very cold winters, with frequent frosts and fog, and very hot summers. With this panorama, when entering La Noguera from the south, we find the municipality of Albesa. A plain area that is full of fruit crops, potatoes and tomatoes and cereals, wherever you look you breathe agriculture and it is a pleasure to see the trees when they bloom, they are an authentic visual spectacle, highly recommended in the month of February.

The history of Antoinette Fruits begins many, many years ago, at the hands of the great-grandparents and grandparents of Ruben Canals, CEO of the company, who, with a small farm and his efforts, began to grow and produce the best pome and stone fruit in the region. So with that guarantee of quality, they started the family business. Today in the XNUMXst century, it has been transformed and improved, thanks to the fifth generation led by Rubén, a generation excited and motivated to guide the family business towards the changes in current consumption habits. Fruit costs more to eat as it is, and the consumer wants it to be "easier" to eat, so Rubén believed that converting a significant part of his production into jam would be a solution with a future... and he was not wrong.

Its goal is to bring the most natural and quality fruit ever, with the most up-to-date and innovative formats and flavors to the modern customer of this XNUMXst century.

And so he developed his brand around Grandma's name; "Antoinette", the true initiator and soul of this adventure that began almost a century ago.

The way of working in Antoinette Fruits It is no different from 100 years ago, the product continues to be of the highest quality, the process of growing, harvesting, treating and packaging the product has not changed, they do it in a traditional and completely handmade way.

With the same passion for fruit and quality as always. Its pear, peach or fig jams are spectacular, and I won't tell you anything if you pair them with cheese or foie gras!! It has also been refined, to the point of having a gourmet line where he accompanies his jams with saffron, ratafia liqueur or rosemary. And how sweet they are with 0% sugar. You can tell that this land is fertile and grateful.

Montsec saffron: recovery through traditions

And if we talk about saffron, near Balaguer, a couple grow it, Magda and James, who left everything for the countryside a few years ago and enjoy nature. and mainly taking care of her, going back to her roots. They are part of the community and institutions committed to the environment and the optimal use of natural resources, in order to consolidate an economically sustainable agrosystem.

And they want to recover the splendor of the area as an essential place for the best saffron in the world. They rescue traditional crafts using production methods that do not harm our environment or human health. The use of exclusive woods in the drying process enhances the characteristics of this exquisite spice.

his saffron Ecological Coupe It is harvested by hand and dried over firewood, as was done in the past. It offers the highest levels of color, flavor and aroma. Is the variety of saffron purer and better quality, formed by the threads or stigmas devoid of the pistil. Its elaborate and delicate separation process allows us to offer the pure red of the stigma where the organoleptic properties of saffron are concentrated. It is a gastronomic treasure that we invite you to try in many recipes such as rice. His taste is noticeable and raises the level of the dish to heaven.

Alemany 1879, a sweet universe of the highest quality

In the town of Os de Balaguer (La Noguera), under the gaze of Montsec and its exceptional sky, nougat y Honey Alemany has built a universe of the sweet. For five generations, the Alemany family has been making artisan nougat and select the miel of the best beekeepers.

Its history begins at the end of the XNUMXth century, when Mrs. Mundeta made a candy with honey and dried fruits from the area. Currently, it is Ferran Germany, the owner, the fifth generation of the family.

The differential feature of German nougat It is due to a XNUMXth century recipe that gives the pasta a characteristic white. A slow cooker, local nuts and a miel of highly selected rosemary are part of a secret that gives a particular flavor to nougat.

Alemany has specialized in monofloral honeys, which are collected from beekeepers across the country. Innovation in Alemany is provided by the concept of miel with added value, in its line of gourmet honey.

The nougat and honey Alemany have been recognized with Great Taste Awards on different occasions, an award considered the Oscar of the world of delicatessen food.

After sharing these gastronomic discoveries with you, I hope you enjoy them through our website. Its owners and their territories deserve it for striving to bring Spain to the highest world quality standards. We only need to consume its wonders to understand that our country is the world's great gastronomic reference.