Dimitris Kouimtsidis
THE best torrezno in Spain has been announced.
Last year Spaniards ate 13.5 million torreznos de Soria – a deep fried strip of bacon – similar to a pork crackling.
The snack, usually served as a side, has had a resurgence in Spanish cuisine in recent years.
Every year more and more chefs compete in the annual contest for the award of best torrezno.
This year the winner, who was chosen through a blind taste test, was Fernando Arranz, from the Bar Restaurante Piscis in Soria, in the region of Castilla y León.
Arranz, a torrenzo veteran of 45 years, achieved a perfect score of ten, due to its ‘golden crust, crunchy texture and perfect flavour’.
He claims his trick is: “Select the bacon well so that it has the perfect proportion of lean and fat and that it is well textured.”
A competition for amateur entries was also held, with Arancha Berzosa being named the winner.
Berzosa got the recipe from her mother and grandmother, who’d been cooking it at home since she was a child.
The winners will be included in the brochure ‘The best torrezno in the world 2020’ that will be distributed at tourist offices and ferrias in the region.
