Toni Santacreu from Benissa wins the contest for the best tomato in the Marina Alta

For the second consecutive year, the gastronomic and cultural market of Dénia, Els Magazinos, and Cervezas Turia have held the II La millor tomaca de La Marina Contest as a tribute to the local farmer. Unlike last year, in which the event focused only on the La Marina region, this edition has been expanded to include producers from the entire Valencian Community, with 30 contestants. Most of them from the province of Alicante, with a special focus on La Marina, but also 5 from the province of Castellón and some from València. In total, 48 varieties have been presented in the best tomato category, 15 in the best penjar tomato category and 10 in the best canned or dried tomato category.

Contest Millor Tomaca of the Marina Alta

El II Contest La millor tomaca de la Marina It has become a festival in honor of the producers in recognition of the effort and work they do and that is why, this Sunday, July 25, consumers and farmers were able to enjoy an “esmorzaret tomaquer” at the Els Magazinos premises: El Baret de Robert , El Cachirulo, Ostrarium, Allora, La Pinchoteca, The Speak and La Lola, as well as buying some tomatoes from La Marina and the best oils from Diania with the presence of Cooperativa Planes Olivista, OCTOBRIS, Castell de la Costurera, Tossut Agroecologia Sostenible, Almàssera de Millena, Cooperativa Católica Cocentaina, Oli del Comtat and Oli de Xàbia - Oligarum.

The 10 best tomatoes in the Valencian Community

The tasting and selection of the winners has been carried out by a luxury jury, made up of chef Quique Dacosta; Diego Mena of restaurant Mena; Toni Ivars from La Senia Restaurant; Rosa Martí from La Giralda Restaurant, representing the union of Dénia's hospitality industry. Also part of the jury were Pepa Font, Manager of the Fundación de Ciudad Creativa; Pepa Ginestar from Radio Dénia Cadena SER; Almudena Ortuño from Hedonistic Guide; María Diago, director of Sustainable Guide and Eduardo Pardo of Cerveza Turia.

The winners of each category have been:

Millor Tomaca of the Navy:

• 1st Toni Santacreu Grimalt from Benissa. Terrace of the game of Pedramala. Rainfed tomatoes. Gin variety.
• 2nd Ramón González de Pego with a pink tomato.
• 3rd Xavier Mulet de l´horta by Xavier de Pedreguer with a Cor de Bou variety.

The best tomato of penjar:

• 1º José Herrera de Castellón with the Moradeta variety.
• 2nd Esteban Tomás de Castellón with the Fulla Patatera variety.
• 3rd Xavier Mulet de Pedreguer with a tomato from Penjar de la Marina.

The best canned or dried tomato *

• 1º Juan González de Dénia with the canned pink variety.
• 2nd Paco Pérez de L´Hort de Neli de Pedreguer with the canned Jack variety.
• 2nd Francisco Pérez de Dénia with the Negreta de la Plana preserved variety.
• 3rd Antonio Noguera de Pedreguer with a dried Castilian tomato in oil.

* There were two tomatoes tied on points.

The choice of the winners was possible thanks to the previous selection that was made on Saturday 24, with 11 finalists in the category of La millor tomaca, 6 as Best penjoll tomato and 8 as best canned or dried tomato. The jury in charge of making this first preselection was made up of Rosa Ribes from the Canfali Marina Alta newspaper, Andrés Soler from Ostrarium Bar, Concha Cervera from the Primera Línea restaurant, Teo Pozo from Racó de la Xara and José Sicar from the Les Cuinetes restaurant.

All the finalists of the II Contest of the Millor Tomaca de la Marina

Millor Tomaca de la Marina

• Juan González de Dénia with pink tomato.
• Francisco Pérez de Dénia with pink tomato.
• Oscar García from Castellón with Cherry tomato.
• Antonio Noguera de Pedreguer with Bodar tomato.
• José Tudela de la Vall de Albaida with two varieties: Rosa de Salem tomato and R86.
• Xavier Mulet de Pedreguer with the Cor de Bou variety.
• Antonio Lloret de Benissoda with the Benissoda variety.
• Ramón González de Pego with two varieties: Valencian tomato and pink tomato.
• Toni Santacreu Grimalt from Benissa. Terrace of the game of Pedramala. Rainfed tomatoes. Gin variety.

Millor tomaca by penjoll

• Héctor Carrió de Pedreguer with the Tomaqueta variety of terallina.
• Vicent Mahiques de Jesús Pobre with the Meliquet variety.
• Joan Folqués de Pego with a Rosa de penja tomato.
• José Herrera de Castellón with the Moradeta variety.
• Esteban Tomás de Castellón with the Fulla Patatera variety.
• Xavier Mulet de Pedreguer with tomato from Penjar de la Marina.

Millor Tomaca canned or dried

• Vicent Mahiques de Jesús Pobre with the San Marzano variety preserved.
• Paco Pérez de Pedreguer and with the canned Jack variety.
• Francisco Pérez de Dénia with the variety Negreta de la plana preserves.
• Antonio Noguera de Pedreguer with two proposals: dried Castilian tomato in oil and the same canned tomato.
• Juan González de Dénia with the canned pink variety.
• Xavier Mulet de Pedreguer with the Cor de Bou canned variety.
• Joan Folqués de Pego with the dry quarantine variety.

From Els Magazinos want to thank all the farmers for sharing their passion with us and the producers of Aceites de Diania, who also exhibited their varieties yesterday in the Contest, perfect to pair with our tomatoes.