FOR the second year running, a town in Toledo has won the award for best croqueta in Spain.
The contest ran by Jamon Joselito chooses a restaurant that has the best croqueta in the country.
The six members of the jury chose Restaurante Ivan Cerdeno almost unanimously because of its “creaminess, texture and flavour.”
In second place was Casa Belarmino in Asturias.
Jose Gomez, the owner of Joselito, an Iberian company known throughout the world for its jamon said: “There were two clearly better than the rest, but this was the best of all.”
The most important factor behind deciding the best croqueta was the jamon.
Gomez said: “Pay homage to the jamon, because it’s the key to having a good croqueta.”
Galician chef Pepe Solla described the process that the chefs have to go through during the contest.
“What happens in there is not easy, because they have to face a kitchen, oils and utensils that are not what they have at home. In addition to the pressure, there is also tension between the opponents.
“The most difficult moment is when you have to fry it.”