Gastronomy in the province of Toledo, a journey promoted by the Montes de Toledo Sustainability Plan

Javier Chozas, director of cuisine at the Toledo hotel and catering school , shares his vision of the province’s rich and diverse cuisine, shares his vision of the province ‘ s rich and diverse cuisine, one of the commitments of the Montes de Toledo Sustainability Plan.

The province of Toledo, cradle of authentic flavours and a centuries-old culinary tradition, is positioned as a top gastronomic destination. The richness of the land and the cultural heritage combine to offer a unique culinary experience, where high quality local products are the undisputed protagonists. From the vineyards and olive groves that paint the landscape to the game meats and the iconic marzipan, the gastronomy of the province of Toledo is one of the cornerstones of the Montes de Toledo Tourism Sustainability Plan.

The Tourism Sustainability Plan for the Montes de Toledo is a project financed by the a project financed by the Secretary of State, the Consejería de Economía, Empresas y Empleo del Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha and the Diputación de Toledo, with a planned investment of EUR 1.8 million.

With the intention of delving deeper into the gastronomic panorama of Toledo, we talked to Javier Chozas, Director of Cuisine at the Toledo School of Hotel Management and CEO of Akera, who shared with us his experiences and reflections on the evolution and future of gastronomy in the region.

QUESTIONS

What role do local products such as saffron, Manchego cheese and olive oil play in your restaurant’ s Toledan cuisine? Manchego cheese and olive oil play in the Toledan cuisine that your restaurant offers?

All local, provincial and regional products have been the basis of our culinary repertoire for hundreds of years. They are products that, like us, have evolved in terms of preparation, production, care and harvesting. This means that, together with careful preprocessing, improved knowledge of the products and the culinary technique applied, we see much cleaner and purer preparations in flavour, which represent the product 100%, enhancing colour, flavour and presentation.

They are indispensable products in our kitchen. Our extra virgin olive oil is used in all our recipes. We use saffron in many recipes to intensify the flavours and, as for cheese, what can we say about its textures, flavours and methods of use? what can we say about its textures, flavours and methods of use, of which there are thousands.

Game is an integral part of the gastronomy of the Montes de Toledo. How do you incorporate these ingredients into your menus?

Game is one of the diamonds in the rough that is beginning to shine, thanks to the work of everyone around it. For me, it is the best meat available: natural, healthy, sustainable and of unsurpassed quality. Thanks to advances, this type of meat has evolved into an outstanding product. A product with an unequalled intensity of flavour, whose haemoglobin content gives it a darker shade and which, if handled correctly, can offer unbeatable flavour and potency.

It can be combined with all garnishes and at all times of the year. Fruits, berries, vegetables and flowers make this product suitable for snacks, appetizers, starters or main courses. It is the revered hallmark of our community, as our climate and diet differ from those of other communities, and our wild meat is among the best in Spain.

In recent years, we have seen a boom in signature cuisine in Toledo. How does your restaurant balance tradition with innovation in its culinary proposals?

Signature cuisine is still traditional cuisine, but with a presentation or with techniques that are perhaps more complex, that allow us to achieve different textures, flavours and aromas than those we could obtain with an initially simpler technique, flavours and aromas different from those we could obtain with an initially simpler technique.

Tradition must never be lost, as it is the line that began our evolutionary system, but it must be advanced and perfected. Our cuisine tries to maintain the natural and traditional, adapting all the techniques and textures to the current cultural and gastronomic demand. A demand in which the diner enjoys tasting different bites, fat intake is calculated to avoid saturating the palate, and we provide that play of flavours and aromas that makes the diner wake up and pay attention.

Gastronomic tourism is booming. What unique experiences does the city offer to visitors looking to get to know Toledo’s to get to know Toledo’ s cuisine beyond the traditional dishes?

Toledo is a province that transmits purity in its cuisine, its traditions, its culture and, of course, its people. The gastronomic experience is not just the food, it is something unique: it is the environment, the aromas of the place and all of us who live here. Toledo has all that together. Once we arrive and visit, depending on the time of year, our senses begin to feel and interpret memories, colours, aromas and textures. Our mind starts to work, to enjoy and live this experience. A good gastronomic guide will make both the dining room and the kitchen merge.

What do you think distinguishes the gastronomy of Toledo from other regions of Spain?

Toledo’s restaurants offer a wide range of options, from the classic taverns with traditional Castilian cuisine to the most avant-garde haute cuisine venues, where chefs reinterpret traditional dishes with a contemporary twist. Among the most representative dishes are carcamusas, a stewed meat with tomato and peas; the emblematic partridge a la toledana; and the cocido de tres vuelcos, which is served in three separate stages and stands out for the richness of its ingredients.

As far as confectionery is concerned, Toledo is world famous for its marzipan, a sweet legacy of Arab tradition that has been perfected over the centuries. In addition, the “toledanas”, pastries filled with angel hair and decorated with almonds, are a real pleasure for the palate and should not be missed on a visit to this historic city.

What do you think distinguishes the gastronomy of Toledo from other regions of Spain?

As I mentioned before, gastronomy is not just what we cook or eat, it is much more. Toledo, as well as extolling its high quality products, has that charm that defines its culture, a culture that has been passed down from generation to generation, where its recipes and elaborations have represented this region all over the world. Our ingredients, our climate and our environment give our gastronomy an identity of its own.

Toledo is famous for its sweets, especially marzipan. How has traditional confectionery evolved?

There is no better way to leave a good memory in a diner’s mind than with a good dessert or sweet. Marzipan is one of the emblems of Toledo. Among our desserts, almonds and sugar are essential ingredients. The latter is represented in the form of a trompe l’oeil on a dessert or in the form of a flowing cake. Desserts are the culmination, the farewell, the search for a memory, a “see you next time” for every visitor to our restaurant. It is very important how they are prepared, their flavour, colour and play of textures. For us, it is essential that a dessert causes a sensation, that it can be enjoyed at any time, and that its sweetness is regulated. Depending on the time of year, they can be more substantial desserts, even in warm temperatures, or desserts with negative and refreshing temperatures.