Not only in the Spanish culinary map but also in the wider Mediterranean, Mallorca is a remarkable region whose cuisine shines by itself. In the words of Jaume Fabrega, a renowned Catalan culinary scholar, cuisine in Mallorca is "one of the most evocative of the Mediterranean: it is not only traditional cuisine rooted in the earth products but it is also a refined cuisine, linked to the story." Following the same author, Mallorca's cuisine is a "space of culinary confluences" where the culinary legacies of the different communities that have inhabited the island melt: Romans, Jews, Arabs and Catalans have left their mark on the culinary culture and folklore in the island.
In Mallorca we eat with the rhythm of the seasons. The traveller can enjoy a different culinary experience depending on the time of the year he visits Mallorca. The former liturgical calendar, which is nowadays part of our cultural heritage and the agricultural cycle continue to set the cadence of the great culinary rituals. Celebrations such as Christmas or Easter and rituals like the slaughter of the pig have a primary culinary component, which makes the best of traditional island cuisine available to the visitor.
Moreover, the diversity of geo-climatic conditions of the island: valley, forest, scrubland, dry land, irrigated, allows a wide variety of crops and livestock. Seasonal products are an excellent raw material for food preparations whether they are traditional or innovative. Mallorca's cuisine is an excellent example of environment adaptation1. The Mallorcan orchard produces a symphony of delightful flavours for the most demanding palates: Sóller oranges, Vilafranca melons, apricots, purple artichokes, eggplant and tomatoes.
The cultivation of olives and vines deserves special attention. Mallorca has always produced very good wines and olive oils, prized since ancient times. These products are closely tied to our land and culture. In the case of olive cultivation, traces of this tradition are clearly visible as they shape the landscape of the Sierra de Tramuntana- Mallorca's mountain range-. Therefore, travellers can admire the beauty of the Mallorcan olive trees. For three decades the island has been establishing itself as a wine and olive oil area of particular interest producing excellent products. Oil, wine and bread are the components of the so-called Mediterranean trilogy.
Naturally, the sea provides throughout the year fresh fish and seafood. It's always been a key ingredient in Mallorcan cuisine, with plenty of recipes to prepare it. Some handcrafted products have
Geographical designation such as hierbas an aniseed-flavoured liqueur with extracts of various plants an palo, a liquor made with gentian and with a complex flavor. Sobrassada, the star of the mallorcan culinary universe, is a unique sausage made with minced selected pork meat and paprika. It can be eaten raw with bread or used as an ingredient for many recipes. In Mallorca, the gourmands are in luck, because the Mallorcan pastry is so varied and delicious, sweet or savoury: vegetables flat breads (cocas), pies, doughnuts, pastry made with almonds, such as “gató” and “amargos”, and ice cream, of course. Mallorca is known to appreciate desserts and sweets. There is already evidence of this predilection in Roman times. In the 19th century, the Archduke Luis Salvador of Austria said in his impressive work on the Balearic culture "Die Balearen" that " In Mallorca sweets and pastry are always on the table." The queen of all pastries is ensaïmada, a sugared dough that has been fermented and baked, with bread flour, water, sugar, eggs, sourdough and pig's lard. Josep Pla, a Catalan writer and gourmet, described it as a "lightest, airiest and most delicate thing in this country's confectionery". Despite the simplicity of his ingredients, an ensaïmada is a real delicacy.
Mallorca has a wide range of restaurants where travellers can discover and enjoy the island's varieties of cuisines. Whether the most traditional cuisine in the “cellers”, or the cutting-edge cuisine including the trend known as nova cuina balear -balearic nouvelle cuisine-, or eco-gastronomy where chefs bring their orchard products to the table. In some village's bars, unaware of any culinary fashion or trend, you can have a phenomenal lunch or snack. Moreover bakeries and cafes, artisan producers of sausage, cheese, jams, or biscuits, are also representatives of our culinary traditions. Besides eating well, travellers can enjoy their dining experience in a privileged environment. Nature around Mallorca, sea and mountain, its unique Mediterranean landscape is the best setting for a unique and memorable culinary experience.
All the year round, fairs and events take place in different municipalities: tastings, traditional cuisine samples, wine presentations, tapas tours, local products fairs. Those proposals introduce the visitors to the most genuine aspects of our culinary culture. Great weekly markets cannot be forgotten. Spread in every town and in Palma they are undoubtedly a colouring and vivacious sample of the best local production.
All in all, Mallorca in spite of being a small island offers a culinary experience as a whole country. It is the ideal destination to combine food, culture and leisure. With little movement and a bit of orientation the best of this island is always accessible to the traveller. I invite you to delve into the most authentic taste of Mallorca.