Ari's Picks

Alemany Almond Turron from Catalunya

a hand holding two boxes of turron outside in the sunshine in front of plants

A confectionery homage to Catalan almonds at the Candy Store

Before there were chocolate shops, and centuries before bonbons became a thing that anyone could even imagine, if you wanted to impress someone you were going to visit and you lived in Spain, you probably took them some turron. This terrific soft almond turron (the top one in the photo) from the Alemany family in Catalunya is beyond amazing!

The Alemany family began to sell honey and honey-based confectionery all the way back in 1879. One hundred and twenty-four years and five generations later, they’re still at it. Alemany is located in the small town of Os de Balaguer, about half an hour north of Lleida in Catalunya. The village has only about 300 residents, which means the Alemany family and their artisan workshop have been very much at the center of local life for nearly a century and a half now.

A big part of their business is honey. They travel all over Spain to gather the best single-blossom honeys when they’re in season. The family also uses them to craft a whole range of honey-based confectionery. Their products are new to us, but the family have been working as they do since they started in 1879! Technology clearly has advanced enormously, but the techniques—and the taste of the turron—remain pretty much as they were in the late 19th century.

Alemany’s Soft Almond Turron is a concentrated confection that’s made mostly of Marcona almonds (which are denser and far more flavorful than almost any other almond) with the addition of a small bit of honey, sugar, and egg white to help hold it together! Catalunya is the world capital of this amazing almond variety. At seventy percent almonds, the turron is the almondine equivalent of dark chocolate. Honey and sugar remain wholly in the background, which means that the turron is only a tiny bit sweet, and very wonderfully almondy. It’s easy to carry these small packets with you in your purse or even a coat pocket. Terrific with coffee—a shot of Espresso and a nibble of this terrific turron would make any afternoon better!  It’s so, so, good!

Try some for yourself

P.S. We are also stocking Alemany’s Burnt Sugar Turron that’s sweetened with white chocolate. And we have the family’s really terrific honey vinegar at the Deli as well!

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