The sale of roscones to celebrate the festival of San Valero, on January 29, remains high and follows the trend of past years, but the change in the holiday, which has passed from Saturday to Monday, January 31, has favored orders and "dislocated" pastry chefs.
This has been explained by the president of the Provincial Association of Confectionery and Pastry Entrepreneurs of Zaragoza, Ramón Sorroche, who has observed that this is a "complicated" year due to that change of dates that "has made us confectioners dizzy".
He has commented that this January 29 (Saturday) is a business day, and instead of maintaining the holiday that has been moved to Monday, he has created a festive bridge that "many people take advantage of to leave Zaragoza".
In statements to Europa Press, Ramón Sorroche has indicated that this year he has verified that more orders have been scored, while he also has to offer this product in the store. "Let's see how all this fits together. The sale is going forward, although much slower and we don't know if they will come to buy on Monday or if we will no longer have roscones."
In this regard, he has provided the fact that on January 6, Three Kings Day at 12:00 noon he had sold all the roscones and was still in demand, given the long line that formed on the sidewalk of his establishment, in the district from Torrero where he has his pastry shop.
This San Valero, since there is no school on Monday, many families will leave the Aragonese capital because there are three days in a row of celebration, he has ventured. "That causes us a conflict that we don't know how to solve."
1,200 donuts
In his opinion, "it is not understood" that the San Valero festival is moved from Saturday to Monday because "there is no precedent", only when the holidays are on Sunday that they are moved to Monday. "This change to small businesses makes them dust."
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He has recognized that the forecast, judging by the orders and the first sales of these days, is the same as other years and "it shows that people want to celebrate", so according to his estimates it will sell just over 1,200 units.
However, the celebrations are less numerous than in Reyes Magos and compared to the large-sized roscón, which is the favorite at Christmas time, for San Valero consumers opt for the small and medium-sized ones.
Ramón Sorroche has pointed out that he maintains the three sizes: small, medium and large; and also last year's sales forecasts by assuring: "I haven't cut anything." This date has somewhat less sales because the festivity is only in the city of Zaragoza, while for the Three Wise Men there are commissions from abroad. "San Valero is celebrated a lot in the city, but the orders are slower".
"Special" and "quality"
Regarding tastes, he has reported that there is greater demand for the "specials" that can have up to three different types of filling, such as cream, cream and truffle, but "the star roscón" is cream. These changes in production arise because consumers are changing their preferences and the pastry sector "has to adapt to demand."
The ingredients of the dough have to be "of quality", Sorroche has insisted so that it is noticeable in the final product not only in the flavor, but also in the durability of the roscón, "although I do not think it will take time to store it for a long time", has joked.
The mother dough is made with water, flour and salt, adding the egg, butter, orange blossom water, aniseed, yeast and natural orange and lemon juice with pulp because "each one has its own style and I don't like zest". It is left to mature for 24 hours so that all the ingredients mix well and take on flavor, then the yeast and sugar are added and after stirring again, it is ready to bake.
As the roscón is filled at the moment -including the surprise- it can be frozen at home "quietly" because in the fridge "both the dough and the cream lose moisture", and it is taken out at room temperature a couple of hours before eating to taste it in its optimal texture.
Regarding the increase in prices above 6 percent, Sorroche has referred that in the roscones he affects it between 2 and 3 percent, but "you have to be careful because the roscón cannot lead to a luxury item" . Faced with this situation of inflation in which all products have risen "people buy the essentials and, therefore, we must be very cautious", he has insisted.
He has also recommended that citizens order the roscón at their favorite pastry shop to avoid being left with nothing on the day of the celebration. "Now many people are in good health and order them or buy them the day before to avoid queuing and they almost sell more than on Saint's Day."
