Olympus's Granada countryside is full of delicious delicacies

Granada's agriculture has been improving its standards for many decades. Year after year, it surpasses itself. The innovative efforts of companies working in the vegetable and fruit sector are enabling them to create high-end products that can be exported internationally. These fruits and vegetables have become true jewels in the orchard and are highly valued in haute cuisine. The Amela tomato is a product from La Palma de Carchuna Cooperative, Motril. It has recently won a prestigious award which places it at the top of the global food chain.

This tomato with Japanese roots is distinguished for many attributes. Its flavor is the most notable, but it also has texture, shape and color. It was awarded the Innovation Gold Award 2022 at the Fruit Logistica fair last April. This award is perhaps the most prestigious in the global fruit and vegetable industry, given by the professionals who attended the international event.

However, experts in agrifood are not the only ones who give it such high praise. Amela is also highly praised by those in the culinary industry. It is a product that is considered 'gourmet' and enhances any restaurant's menu. Antonio Lorenzo, the chef at El Conjuro De Calahonda, was also highly regarded. He not only suggests it to those who are looking for a high-quality tomato but also offers it on his menu. Tomato Amela with espicha water, tomato nigiri and tomato infused was his dish. It was a delicious and intriguing bite that captured the attention of both academics and critics.

1. Antonio Lorenzo from El Conjuro de Calahonda prepares his Tomato Amela infused with espicha water, tomato nigiri and other delicious ingredients. This recipe has been praised by food critics and experts alike. 2. A culinary treatment that enhances the Amela flavor. 3. A tomato that is known for its meatiness. / Alfredo Aguilar

It's all meat, and its texture and flavor are amazing. It has a thin skin and looks almost like it's being peeled," Lorenzo says. He finds it difficult to classify it because "it's unique from everything else, but it's not Pear nor Raf", though he does wonder about the tomato flavor that it has, which is what is being pursued today. It is often claimed that tomatoes lack flavor. This one does.

It takes a lot of research and work to achieve such high quality, as La Palma did with a Japanese product. Carmelo Salguero from Granada, the commercial director of the cooperative, said that there is a strong culture in Japan of producing high-quality fruits. These fruits are then given to family members or friends for birthdays or births. Amela is a brand from the east country. It has been grown under that name for over twenty-five year. However, La Palma, a joint venture with Japan, produces it in Spain.

Salguero says that the cultivation of this variety follows the Eastern philosophy. This is a combination of the Mediterranean sun and water from the Sierra Nevada. It is grown in Granada in greenhouses that "have the best technology", where the cultivation is done with great care. This results in "concentrating the flavour of the tomato sacrificing kilos" because "we don't want to transport water, but we want to convey flavour".

Antonio Lorenzo has had to deal with such a dedication to his palate when it comes time to treat him on a culinary level. Although he admits it is difficult to make haute cuisine dishes with tomatoes, he simply asks the question "What do I add to it so it doesn't get lost?" His recommendation is to eat the tomato alone. Other ingredients or dressings wouldn't allow its flavor to shine through. The recipe aims to get more flavor out of its already intense flavor without changing its texture. He explained that you can add salt and oil to your preference, but it will become distorted if you season it using other flavors or nuances. It's about enhancing the flavors it already has, and that is what I did with this dish.

The chef decided to osmotize the tomato, adding water from the tomato in which he had emulsified espichas, the famous dried anchovies. This is how I made espicha water. After vacuum packing the tomato, I cut its center into cubes and infused it with this water to enhance its flavor. He made tomato water from the cut pieces to water the dish.

It's not a coincidence that Antonio Lorenzo is a tomato lover. He says, "I value a good tomatoes more than a cup of caviar." El Conjuro offers eight varieties of this fruit in a variety of salads, each with its own preparation.

To obtain espicha water, the ingredients are vacuum packed. / A.A.

Although the Amela tomato's price is high, it is not prohibitive. It is expensive to cultivate it because you can only take a few plants from a bush. A conventional plant can produce several dozen. Each plant only produces half a kilogram. Carmelo Salguero (commercial director at La Palma), explains that harvesting is done every day, except Sundays. Each tomato is picked, washed with a cloth, and then placed in its container. They are then checked for quality, as not all tomatoes will become Amela.

It is an experience that can be described as a small moment in happiness for those who have had the chance to try it. It's delicious! Salguero says that this production makes you happy and enjoy it, even if it's only for a moment. Otaki Shoma and Mido Keisuke, both great producers who are skilled in this sophisticated and meticulous form of production, are in charge of this.

It is a beautiful product, but it is difficult to cultivate. The manager says that although it isn't a large business, it does give him prestige. Its only two-year existence has seen it gain significant recognition. It was also awarded the European Prize for Taste in Brussels 2021 with the 'Superior Taste Award'.