Next week, World’s Managers launches in October in Alto y Medio Vinalopó and will close the restaurant-touring season after touring l’Alacantí, Baix Vinalopó, Vega Baja, and finally the Alicante Mountain region, returning now to Las Marinas. The program Menjars de la Terra, backed by the Provincial Assembly, continues to celebrate local province-wide products. The strongest spotlight goes to Denomination of Origin products—Alicante Wine, Baged Table Grapes from Vinalopó, Jijona and Nougat from Alicante, Granada Mollar from Elche, Artichokes from Vega Baja, Cereza de la Montaña from Alicante, and the Traditional Spirits of Alicante.
Next week, the DOPs take center stage with Níspero de Callosa d’en Sarrià. It will headline a free event organized by Menjars de la Terra and the Organizing Committee, and will feature on menus across five participating restaurants during the province’s best-known gastronomic days. The aim is to spread the word about this crop and its extraordinary properties as a unique fruit.
Rice dishes, fish, fine seafood, and medlar as the stars of Menjars de la Terra
Those who wish to join for free must register in advance via the company’s phone line or email. The Organizing Committee invites everyone to a tasting and farm-visit event on Tuesday, April 25 at 11:30, departing from the Regulatory Council headquarters in Callosa d’en Sarrià. Attendees will tour a nearby field, learn farming methods, and witness the harvest season in full swing. The program also includes a tour of the cooperative’s facilities to observe sorting and packing processes of this distinctive fruit.
The Organizing Committee’s main role is product certification. In registered stores, only loquats meeting the Regulatory Council’s requirements are certified, ensuring authenticity and quality distinct to Callosa d’en Sarrià medlars.
Beyond certification, the Committee promotes this product to help consumers recognize a genuine origin-labeled item versus non-certified versions. Back-label printing is done with collaboration from the Diputación de Alicante.
The Regulatory Council DOP Nísperos de Callosa d’en Sarrià monitors to prevent non-certified operators and manufacturers from violating the protected-brand laws.
Medlar, a fruit native to China and Japan (Eryobotrya japonica), found its best home in the Mediterranean—especially in Callosa d’en Sarrià and regions of Marina Baixa—where climate and soils suit its growth. Introduced to Spain by sailors, it thrived in Callosa d’en Sarrià, benefiting from favorable local conditions and a supportive producing network.
The mild temperatures, limestone soils, and natural spring water give Callosa d’en Sarrià loquats distinctive characteristics that are hard to replicate elsewhere.
Sweet and juicy when eaten at the right moment, the Regulatory Council notes they offer a burst of flavor with exotic hints. Medlars are a low-calorie fruit, easy to peel, rich in essential nutrients, and high in vitamin A and fiber. They are abundant in carotenoids, which support skin health. The best months for enjoying them are April and May, timing the season to help prepare the skin for summer and a healthy tan. Hence the descriptor “beauty fruit.”
Restaurants in Marina Baixa and Marina Alta present their menus
Medlars’ potassium content makes them suitable for athletes and anyone with muscle concerns. They also provide fiber and prebiotic mucilages that help balance the gut microbiome.
The medlar’s exotic sweet-tinish with a touch of acidity helps define Callosa d’en Sarrià’s fruit as a standout—described by the Regulatory Council as unique and flawless.
All growing, harvesting, grading, and packaging steps are performed under careful guidance, ensuring the medlar reaches consumers in peak condition without compromising its nutritional or sensory qualities.
In short, the PDO Níspero de Callosa d’en Sarrià embodies a regional philosophy centered on the medlar as a cornerstone of local life and economy, bringing a sense of pride and identity to the area.