The production and packaging area of the nougat covered by the Protected Geographical Indication 'Turrón de Alicante' and 'Turrón de Xixona' corresponds to the municipality of Jijona, Alicante, in the Valencian region of l'Alacantí. Turrónde Jijona is a variety with a soft texture, made from peeled and toasted almonds which, after grinding and mixing with caramelised syrup (obtained by cooking honey, egg white and sugar), give rise to a whitish-brown nougat, with (or without) almond granules, of variable size and irregularly distributed. Turrón de Alicante is a nougat with a hard texture, made from peeled and roasted almonds, inserted in a mass of caramelised syrup -obtained by cooking honey, sugars and egg white -and covered with wafers. The use of traditional techniques (toasting, ball-point cooking, rolling, etc.) and local tools(toasters, mechanical machines, stone mills, refiners, boixets, etc.) during the production process lend authenticity and artisanal differentiation.
The Regulatory Council of the PGI Jijona and Turrón de Alicante was founded in 1939, and since thenit has been certifying the prestige, reputation and excellent quality of the nougat produced in Jijona.
Nougat is made up of between 60% and 70% almonds. This nut is one of the most nutritious in the world and has many beneficial properties for health. Almonds are notable for their high content of essential fatty acids (75% unsaturated) and help to strengthen bones, hair and skin, as well as regulating cholesterol levels. Honey is another of the natural ingredients in nougat, making it a food witha high energy content and a high sugar content (mainly glucose and fructose). Nougat also contains proteins (between 13% and 16%) and is rich in vitamins A, B and E and mineral salts such as phosphorus and potassium.
The area of Jijona is located in the central arc of the province of Alicante and its orographic configuration delimits the hollows known in the region as 'foias', giving rise to spectacular views of valleys and vertical ravines, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. This landscape is thedeep root of a culture linked to nougat, thanks to the elements provided by nature: fields covered with almond trees and honeycombs from the beehives located in the surrounding mountains where rosemary, thyme and lavender abound.
Nougat has a birthday! Every 7 November is World Nougat Day, a day on which cultural and gastronomic activities are organised around the history and tradition of nougat.
