On this Monday in Alboraia, Universitat de València, Alboraia Town Hall and Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Chufa de Valencia have presented a book titled “El Gran Libro de la Horchata y la Chufa” (“The Great Book of Horchata and Chufa”) directed by professor of UV, José Miguel Soriano. The work has won a prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, which are the Oscars of gastronomy, in the category “Best Non-Alcoholic Book”.
This event was celebrated in Casa del Compte de Zanoguera and among those present was UV´s principal, Estaban Morcillo; director of Food and Health Living Lab, José Miguel Soriano; the mayor of Alboraia, Miguel Chavarría; and the president of Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Chufa de Valencia , Francesc de Borja Espinosa.
The book forms part of the Collection Clínicas of Universitat de València, directed by José Manuel Almerich, and its publication was possible thanks to Foundation Lluís Alcañiz, Universitat de València, Consejo Regulador de la D. O. Chufa de Valencia and the Valencian Government. Researchers from UV participated in the making of this book, as well as Clínica Universitaria de Nutrición, Clínica Universitaria de Nutrición, Physical Activity and Physiotherapy (CUNAFF) of Lluís Alcañiz Foundation , Unidad Mixta de Investigación en Endocrinología, Nutrición y Dietética Clínica de la Universitat de València-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe y Universitat Politècnica de València. The photographs were taken by Pedro Galisteo, Jesús Cerezo and David Palau, among others. The photos from a collection of photographs of Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Chufa de Valencia, Lluís Alcañiz Foundation, Valencian Library and Historical Library of UV were also included.
José Miguel Soriano has said “The book is a project which we have worked on for more than six years; different possibilities of chufa consumption as well as its role as Valencian heritage are discussed in the work”.
Francisco de Borja Espinosa has pointed out that the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Chufa de Valencia” has played a role in the publication of the book, from an academic standpoint, promoting chufa which is traditionally cultivated mainly in l'Horta Nord".
The mayor of Alboraia, Miguel Chavarría, has thanked UV for its support and collaboration and presentation of the book about its hallmark product, chufa.
The principal, Esteban Morcillo, has highlighted that “the importance of the publication of the book for UV has put emphasis on the secular origins of Universitat de València; it has thrown light on the university´s vocation of serving citizens and on the value of the kind of research which defends the role of Valencian products in cementing the relationship between the civil society and the institution”.
In parallel to the publication of the book, Universitat de València is working, in the Gastrolab of the Institute of Material Science, on the design of new products using chufa as a basis, the objective of which is to improve the Valencian industry by exporting chufa to other countries. Another objective is to study the health benefits of horchata by Food&HealthLab and the Living Lab of UV, as promoted by Campus of International Excellence VLC/CAMPUS.
This work will help in the education of undergraduate students studying Gastronomic Sciences at UV and will be a great help in making the students of this degree ambassadors of Valencian products when they finish their gastronomic, culinary and health-food studies.
*A milky drink made from ground almonds, tiger nuts, or rice.
Last update: 21 de july de 2016 12:58.
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