The gastronomy festival series Menjars de la Terra began at the Carlos de Elche restaurant, kicking off in Baix Vinalopó this year. The spotlight this week centers on Elche’s Granada Mollar, which will feature prominently on menus throughout the week, culminating next Friday.
The event drew the presence of the President of the Provincial Assembly. After stepping into the cocktail reception and sipping a glass of pomegranate juice, he commented that it was a sign of good health. The vice president for Innovation, Digital Agenda, Recruitment and International Residents, Juan de Dios Navarro, shared his satisfaction with the success of Fitur, noting that the discussions underscored the impressive, ongoing work across the region and calling it a worthwhile moment of tutelage. Ana Serna, the Provincial Assembly Vice President and Regional Mayor of Albatera, joined a group chat and recalled how pomegranate stirred memories of childhood—homemade preparations with wine and sugar, and a fond memory of the broth left in the bottom of the glass.
The rector of Miguel Hernández University gradually joined the gastronomy gathering. Juan José Ruiz described himself as a devoted admirer of pomegranate in all its forms and was accompanied by Maria Emilia Bermejo (UMH) in conversations with journalist Gaspar Maciá, a current member of the Elche Misteri Board of Trustees. Maciá noted that in addition to the outstanding Misteri performances held in even-numbered years, 2025 will feature a November celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma and the Assumption festival.
The head of the Carmencita Department of Flavor Studies at the University of Alicante attended, Josep Bernabeu, who discussed marinating techniques with pomegranate and praised a recipe by chef Jorge Muñoz (Huesca) that won the thirteenth Elche Pomegranate Creative Cooking Competition, featuring a dish that combines dashi with Pyrenean trout. Angeles RuizGasterra also highlighted pomegranate for its health benefits and antioxidant properties.
Jordi Azorin spoke with Hidraqua Communications Director, and Hidraqua’s General Manager Martin Sanz explained, alongside Maria Navarra from Marcos Tonda chocolates, that pomegranate brings back cherished memories of Valencia and the time he tended his own pomegranate tree. The fruit became a family joy, especially in salads.
From the CEO of Aigües d’Elx, María José Toledo, alongside Alfonso Huedo, Director of Communications and Marketing, and the main drink offering alongside wines, with participation from Bocopa, the Elche juice stood out as a defining element of the menu. Victor Lopez and Cristina Rodríguez praised the quality of the offerings and the conference series for allowing residents to explore local products in depth.
The day featured a session with pomegranate experts and the head of the Protected Appellation of Origin for the Elche Mollar Pomegranate, Francisco Oliva. He noted ongoing challenges, citing recent disruptions at the French border that affected Spanish trucks, but stressed that the meeting remained productive. Oliva recommended the chocolate rocks recipe by Michelin-starred chef Susi Díaz, which highlights mollar pomegranate from Elche and is accessible on video platforms.
Local businesspeople and Elche residents attended the event. Pepe Anton and his son Ruth Garcia, representatives of the Antón group, shared a plan for preparing a pomegranate salad with seeds, while Maria José Valero of Paellíssimo praised the same fruit in their dishes.
The final guest to arrive was Elche’s mayor, Pablo Ruz. During the municipal plenary, and after learning that at least twenty transporters from his municipality were blocked by protests in France, he proposed a motion, unanimously approved, urging measures to safeguard free movement. Irene Ruiz, a member of the Elche Tourism Council, noted a personal fondness for pomegranate in salads and cited tuna tartare with mollar pomegranate as a favorite recipe.
Prensa Ibérica’s content chief for the Valencian Community, Murcia and Andalusia attended the Menjars de la Terra conference organised by INFORMACIÓN to support gastronomy and local products across the province. Juan Ramón Gil, with the INFORMATION manager Angel Angle and the BİLGİ director Tony Cabot, recalled Antonio González Pomata and his legacy as a correspondent and gastronomy distributor, stressing the goal of continuing to promote regional delicacies, deepen appreciation, and encourage tasting.