The day has come, from this Thursday until Sunday September 15, Zamora becomes the world capital of cheese hosting the second edition of Fromago Cheese Experience Cheeses of Spain. A fair with a strong international character and which is expected to be attended by more than 300,000 people.
Although its extensive program of activities began early in the morning with the reverse mission of meetings with international buyers, it was not until midday that the official inauguration took place with the presence of the President of the Junta de Castilla y León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, who was accompanied by the Regional Minister of Industry, Leticia García, from Zamora, and the Regional Minister of Agriculture, María González.
In addition, in the ceremony held in the Encarnación room of the Provincial Council of Zamora have also been both its president, Javier Faúndez, and different members of this administration, as well as the mayor of the city, Francisco Guarido. All of them have been joined by different political, military and civilian officials.
No one wanted to miss the start of a fair that promises to be historic and is already expected to exceed the magnificent previous edition. This was highlighted by Fernández Mañueco in his speech, assuring that Fromago “has turned Zamora into a reference point for this product worldwide” and at the same time he highlighted the productive fabric of this sector.
“It generates more than 6,000 jobs and exceeds 2,000 million euros in turnover”, he explained and gave this data“one out of every three cheeses produced in Spain comes from Castilla y León and seven of the ten largest manufacturers have plants located in the community“.
Meanwhile, Sara Fregeneda, president of EILZA, the International School of Dairy Industries, thanked the support that has been granted during the nearly twelve months of organization that has involved Fromago. Public administrations, private entities and, above all, the fundamental support of sponsors such as Caja Rural de Zamora or Inlac, all of whom have opened their doors to EILZA so that this event could go ahead.
Without them it would not have been possible, he pointed out, while highlighting the effort made by an entity such as EILZA to carry out this second edition, which would not have been possible without the involvement of all the members of the committee, who have not stopped rowing together to make this fair a reality.
But, above all, to the producers and exhibitors because without them it would not be possible to celebrate Fromago. All of them, more than 300, are already selling their products along a two-kilometer route, from the Plaza de la Marina to the Plaza de la Catedral. More than 1,200 types of cheese spread throughout the historic center to the delight of the first hundreds of visitors who have already passed through here.
In addition, since this morning, the various scheduled activities are already taking place. A first day of the fair where there has been no shortage of activities aimed at the professional sector with reverse missions, round tables, presentations and also with activities planned for the general public, from young to old, who for four days can enjoy cheese tunnels, workshops or musical entertainment and free concerts along the route.
Round tables and tastings
The round table ‘Solutions for the dairy industry’ held in the Plaza de la Marina has revolved around the importance of aspects such as, for example, refrigeration as this factor has been key to many artisan dairies have been able to grow despite its small size, being able to expand their production.
Also, machines that allow to mechanize processes such as purchasing and engineering, electro-pneumatics and programming, welding and assembly, administration and sales or welding.
At the same time, the Plaza de la Constitución has hosted the round table ‘The national and international sale of cheese’ which has highlighted the increased demand for artisanal products and a more gourmet product because, since the pandemic, the public significantly values the work behind the small dairies, who offer a cheese made with care and care. The importance of being able to export outside Spain was also underlined, since this percentage is still very low, although it has been growing in recent years.
But there was not only cheese today, as Alimentos de Segovia brought to Zamora a tasting of red fruits from the company muMU as well as tomatoes from Martín Muñoz de las Posadas. Two foods that pair perfectly with cheese, achieving a real explosion of flavors on the palate.
To close the morning program, the institutional round table ‘State of the agricultural and livestock sector in Castilla y León, strengths and future’ in the Encarnación Exhibition Hall highlighted the importance of the support of all public administrations to the sector in order to guarantee its generational replacement. With an eye on the youngest, public and private representatives have agreed on the same objective, to join forces to ensure the future of the agricultural and livestock sector.
And to close the morning with cheese flavor, the Special Tasting of Cheeses from the North of Gran Canaria with (D.O.) that has taken place in an exceptional corner of the capital as is the Mirador del Troncoso. Here, the master cheesemaker Isidoro Jiménez has offered an authentic recital of different Canarian cheeses at the same time that has been explaining its peculiarities that are given by the climate of the Canary Islands, the altitude at which this archipelago is located and the value of the transhumant sheep that gives them great relevance.
And with tastings has continued the afternoon as the Cheese Experiences have allowed to taste in different parts of the city the best selection of some exhibitors such as Moncedillo, Maridaje de Quesos y Vinos con Sabor a Málaga, Cremositos del Zújar (Arteserena), Doña Francisca, Quesos Jarropa and Sita Pla, P.D.O. Queso Casín, Quesería Cremositos del Zújar, Quesería Gaia, Río Corvera and Ibéricos Marcelino.
At the same time, again in the Encarnación room, the round table ‘Cheese Clinic’, where the fermentation of milk and all the advances that have been made in this regard in recent years have been discussed. Scientific knowledge and the domestication of bacteria has allowed them to work as scientists want them to do, since it has awakened the interest of many of them due to the complexity of the intestine.
After this colloquium, the round table ‘The technology of pizza cheese’ followed, in which Adrián Roberto Gauna, commercial technical director of Sacco System, international specialist in cheese production, gave a master class on mozzarella as the star cheese of this Italian dish. International specialist in the manufacture of cheese gave a master class on mozzarella as the star cheese of this Italian dish. Its production has increased by 20% in recent years in all its varieties, as these depend on its functionality.
Next, the round table ‘Cheese beyond our borders’ featured Colombia as the guest country and an example of a nation in which cheese has been key to the economic development of some of its regions, constituting a real driving force that has made these areas more prosperous.
Best Fromelier Contest
Throughout the afternoon, different parallel activities took place,
as the contest ‘Best Master / Maestra Fromelier of Spain’, developed in the Parador de Zamora and where the five candidates have faced different theoretical and practical tests to be the winner Ávaro Ocaña. In second place was Noemí González and third on the podium was Luis Miguel Rueda.
The prizes ‘Campaign of Commerce and Shop Windows of Zamora CEOE-AZECO’ have also been delivered in the Plaza de la Marina for all those who have participated in the contest in which hundreds of people have participated and that after the draw and telephone contact have been endowed with different baskets of gourmet products.
The children’s workshops have entertained dozens of children as the children’s baking workshop or the ‘Florita milking’, both from Gaza, also from the Children’s Workshop Miel Prado Concejo, or the Cuentaquesamos with Judynski Cuenta y Crea.
For the elderly, the special tasting ‘Quesos das Terras de Trás-os-Montes’ from the neighboring country, Portugal. And to finish this marathon day, in addition to cheese, there has also been time for lots of music with the concert of the group ‘Suricato Morse’ in the Plaza de Caja Rural, Aula de Folklore Urbano ‘La Morana’, Dj Garrido, or the concert of Luis Santana and Maria Galiana.
