Sagunto only grows a few medlars in its fertile lands, but they are very much appreciated in Spain, France, Canada, and Italy. The quality achieved by these producers is such that their fruit has earned a place in the most select tables in Barcelona, thanks to the trust that Villa Maria, a brand from Nules that specializes in selling products only to gourment establishments, has placed on them.
At a time when medlar production in Sagunto is scarce, one of the few farmers under the age of 40 in the city, Daniel Muñoz, has managed to place this fruit in the gourmet market through hard work.
Daniel has been working for years with the help of his wife, Estrella Martínez, and the support of his parents, and even spending many a night in the open if necessary, to achieve a quality fruit. "I lose myself in this and I admit that I am very demanding and a perfectionist," he said.
That eagerness to do things well is evident when one tries his fruits, according to Manuel Martinez, the man responsible for the brand that takes their medlars to the best fruit shops in Barcelona. "In their fruits, you can taste the devotion and affection with which he treats his production and trees. That's why we only buy medlars from Dani. His fruits reflect how demanding he is with his crops," Martinez added.
The farmer highlighted the special conditions that Sagunto has created for this crop. "The land here is red and has a lot of fat, which is what the tree needs because it gives the fruit more sugar than usual, compared to the fruit of other places that is more sour," he said. "The thing is that this fruit requires a lot of work. That's why there are few medlars planted in the city. I have some because I practically do everything with my family. If you give it to someone else, it would not give you money," he said.
Dani believes that the best medlar in Spain is, without a doubt, from Sagunto. Despite this, he recognizes that the medlars from Callosa d'En Sarrià "are the kings of the market". "They have a denomination of origin and about 1,600 members in the cooperative. However, my Dayma brand is much appreciated in València, even though I am a speck of dust in the whole planet," he said.
Source: levante-emv.com
