Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| 9.11.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 267/50 |

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2007/C 267/17)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006[(1)](#ntr1-C_2007267EN.01005001-E0001). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘MAZAPÁN DE TOLEDO’

EC No: ES/PGI/005/0291/14.05.2003

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

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| Name: | Subdirección General de Calidad Agroalimentaria y Agricultura Ecológica. Dirección General de Industria Agroalimentaria y Alimentación. Subsecretaría de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación |
| Address: | |  | | --- | | Paseo de la Infanta Isabel, no 1 | | E-28071 Madrid | |
| Telephone | (34) 913 47 53 94 |
| Fax | (34) 913 47 54 10 |
| E-mail: | sgcaproagro@mapya.es |

2.   Group:

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| Name: | Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida Mazapán de Toledo |
| Address: | |  | | --- | | Paseo de Recaredo, no 1 | | E-45002 Toledo | |
| Telephone | (34) 925 22 87 10 |
| Fax | (34) 925 21 18 12 |
| E-mail: | — |
| Composition: | Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( ) |

3.   Type of product:

Class 2.4: Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker's wares

4.   Specification:

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name: ‘Mazapán de Toledo’

4.2.   Description: The name ‘mazapán de Toledo’ is given to the fine-grained solid paste produced by mixing together or kneading peeled, ground raw almonds and sugar or sugars.

Almonds are the main ingredient of ‘mazapán de Toledo’ and must constitute most of the paste, or at least be present in a 1:1 ratio (i.e. represent 50 % of the total weight). The almonds used to make ‘mazapán de Toledo’ are peeled sweet varieties with a minimum fat content of 50 %. It therefore follows that ‘mazapán de Toledo’ must have a minimum fat content of 26 % (corresponding to the minimum percentage of almonds required and their minimum fat content).

The organoleptic characteristics are assessed using the procedure for tasting ‘mazapán de Toledo’. This is based on two main categories:

olfactory-gustatory sensation: the assessment involves the senses of smell and taste, and represents 66,5 % of the total score,

texture: other oral sensations account for up to 33,5 % of the remaining score.

Products marketed with the PGI ‘mazapán de Toledo’ must obtain a minimum score of 48 points; none of the parameters for either tasting category may be marked as ‘substandard’ or ‘unacceptable’.

4.3.   Geographical area: The province of Toledo.

4.4.   Proof of origin: The most likely origin of the term ‘marzipan’ is the Arabic spoken in al-Andalus during the medieval period when races and cultures coexisted in central and southern Spain.

Following Arab rule, marzipan continued to be made in the city of Toledo, both in convents and other establishments. From that time on, marzipan has continuously been made by small-scale local and provincial producers using their vast know-how and experience.

To provide consumers with a guarantee of the authenticity of ‘mazapán de Toledo’, products bearing the protected geographical indication must be made by producers who are located in the province of Toledo and are subject to inspection by the product certification body forming part of the inspection body.

4.5.   Method of production:

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| — | Raw almonds are peeled, moistened with one or more types of sugar and mixed together. |

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| — | The almonds used to make ‘mazapán de Toledo’ are sweet peeled varieties with a minimum fat content of 50 %. The sugars used may be beet or cane sugar, honey, glucose, sucrose or other natural sugars. |

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| — | The mix is ground, kneaded and packaged. |

4.6.   Link: Although sugar was not widely available in Europe until the 16th century, when large quantities were imported from America, there is no doubt that it was much used in al-Andalus and Sicily, from where it was imported into Castile, Catalonia, Portugal and mainland Italy. Sugar rivalled, or even replaced, honey in the preparation of a wide variety of delicious desserts and drinks.

Sugar was blended with dried fruit, especially almonds, to create pastries which are typically eastern and still exist in a wide variety of forms. They include Toledo marzipan, nougat (turrones), almond pastries, almond and pine nut pastries (empiñonadas) and sugar-coated almonds, as well as countless traditional sweets whose recipes are sometimes closely guarded. However, their names reveal that they are Arabic in origin, as is the case with Cuenca's alajú or Andalusia's alfajor (from the Arabic alhashu meaning ‘filled’).

Toledo turned confectionery into a fine art, imbued with numerous subtle variations, blends and happy discoveries. It drew on the Arab and Hebrew legacy, the fine work of nuns in enclosed convents and the painstaking labour of its confectioners. Toledo confectionery — without doubt its main distinguishing culinary feature — enjoyed huge prestige and renown. From his retreat in Yuste, Charles V, and later his son Philip II, would order for their table marzipan and other sweetmeats made in the imperial city. Toledo confectionery from that period is widely acknowledged to have been the best in Europe because of its variety, originality and refinement. The list of recipes is endless.

The first known recipe for ‘marzipan’ is in the Libro de guisados, manjares y potajes (Book of Stews, Delicacies and Soups) by the chef Ruperto de Nola, which was first published in Spanish in Toledo in 1525 to coincide with a visit by the Emperor Charles V.

King Philip III, by proclamation of 1615, approved the Decree establishing the Guild of Toledo Confectioners, section 10 of which refers to the making of marzipan as follows: ‘All marzipan must be made from syrup of almonds from Valencia and white sugar, and in no other way. Anyone failing to do so shall be fined one thousand maravedis in each case’.

There is also an extensive body of historical, literary and journalistic texts demonstrating that ‘marzipan’ has faithfully and consistently been produced in many different parts of the province of Toledo according to traditional methods.

The renown of Toledo marzipan is documented in numerous historical, literary and journalistic works, in which marzipan is always linked to the name of the province:

Ramón de Mesonero Romanos (1803-1882) describes marzipan as ‘an ingenious work’ when referring to it in his Escenas matritenses: ‘What can I give my first love which combines sensitivity with the most refined taste to the highest degree? A box of “mazapán de Toledo” I declared enthusiastically, placing one on the table’,

Concepción Arenal (1820-1923) dedicates one of her poems to the ‘Christmas box’: ‘They pay it homage and, by way of tribute, Valencia and Murcia offer limes, carts of oranges, dates and pomegranates, fresh grapes and dried figs. Alicante and Jijona send hard and soft nougat, which pale alongside “Toledo marzipan”. From Malaga come raisins.’,

Leopoldo Alas Ureña (Clarín) (1852-1901). In an article for the magazine ‘Museum’, the author of La Regenta comments on various works by Emilia Pardo Bazán: ‘The entire romance between these two gives the reader a feeling similar to that of eating huevos hilados [sweet egg dish], dried, all day long, or “mazapán de Toledo” tasting of its box, or old sponge cake …’,

Enrique Gaspar (1842-1902), in his operetta La tribu Salvaje, first staged on 23 May 1901. It is set in a classroom where the children ‘sing’ the multiplication table and the teacher decides to ‘have a little refresher on Spain's politico-physical, industrial and agricultural geography’. This involves the pupils linking each city with its best known distinctive product: ‘Gijon has cider, Toledo, marzipan’,

Benito Perez Galdos (1843-1920) spent long periods in the city of Toledo, which forms the backdrop for some of his novels. Mazapán de Toledo is mentioned twice in El audaz. In Fortunata y Jacinta, we also find various references to ‘mazapán de Toledo’, each time in connection with Christmas preparations. The recognition and renown which ‘mazapán de Toledo’ enjoys today is evident from numerous fiestas and from descriptions in different media, from prestigious gastronomic guides and well known restaurants. The adjectives used to describe ‘mazapán de Toledo’ include: exquisite, classic, typical, extremely famous, ultra-famous and foremost gastronomic speciality. Traditionally, the shop windows of Toledo's best known confectioners are decorated with painstaking reproductions and depictions of religious, heraldic or everyday scenes, using marzipan as the basis. By way of illustration, we have reproduced a photograph of a shop window in Toledo's Santo Tomé Street, where marzipan has been used to recreate an amazingly precise version of the ‘Lions' Gate’ of Toledo Cathedral.

The original recipe and expertise of the master craftsmen traversed the imperial city's walls centuries ago, which is why those parts of the province where the marzipan factories are located also have their own marzipan-related festivities and traditions. Marzipan is traditionally produced in Sonseca, Gálvez, Consuegra, Fuensalida, Polán and other towns.

It is mentioned in the following prestigious gastronomic guides:

Michelin Guide: ‘Toledo's foremost gastronomic speciality is clearly the ultra-famous “mazapán de Toledo”, which is made using almonds and sugar’,

Guía Campsa: ‘Toledo has a large selection of museums, and other exquisite cuisine waiting to be discovered in addition to its famous marzipan’.

It appears in the dessert menus of Toledo's best known restaurants such as Casa Aurelio, Venta de Aires, Adolfo and La Catedral, some of which suggest or recommend as dessert the exquisite‘mazapán de Toledo’.

4.7.   Inspection body:

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| Name: | Servicios de Inspección y Certificación, S.L. |
| Address: | |  | | --- | | C/ Ciudad, no 13-1o | | E-45001 Toledo | |
| Telephone | (34) 925 28 51 39 |
| Fax | (34) 925 28 51 39 |
| E-mail: | — |

The inspection body Servicios de Inspección y Certificación, S.L., as certification body, meets the requirements in standard EN 45011.

4.8.   Labelling: The labelling of the product ‘mazapán de Toledo’ will include a reference to the ‘PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION MAZAPÁN DE TOLEDO’ and the logo which identifies the inspection body as the certification body for the product.

Products where ‘Mazapán de Toledo PGI’ is the main ingredient may be marketed to consumers in packaging which states Elaborado con Indicación Geográfica Protegida Mazapán de Toledo (Made with Protected Geographical Indication ‘Mazapán de Toledo’) without the Community logo, provided that:

Mazapán de Toledo PGI, certified as such, is the only marzipan paste which has been used in the product, and

the individuals using the words Elaborado con Indicación Geográfica Protegida Mazapán de Toledo are authorised to do so.

In this context, use of the words Elaborado con Indicación Geográfica Protegida Mazapán de Toledo on the products made will be authorised by the Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘mazapán de Toledo’, as it holds the intellectual property rights conferred by registering the designation Mazapán de Toledo PGI.

The Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘mazapán de Toledo’ will enter in the relevant registers those users who are authorised to use the words Elaborado con Indicación Geográfica Protegida Mazapán de Toledo and ensure that the protected designation is used correctly.

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