Mallorcan cuisine has a Mediterranean flavour and is linked to Catalan cuisine. Traditional Mallorcan cuisine focuses on vegetables, legumes, fish and meat. Whether typical Mallorcan sausage, stews or pastry variations – Mallorca offers everything a gourmet’s heart desires. In general, Mallorcan cuisine is rather rural. The ingredients for the typical dishes are mostly produced by local farmers. The specialities are meat- and fish-heavy, although the meat is not always produced regionally. Fish is often imported from the mainland, although fresh fish can also be bought in restaurants in the coastal regions. Good local restaurants can also be found inland. One highlight is the rustic cellers, or cellar restaurants, which offer a special atmosphere. Typically, the Mallorcans dine very sociably, extensively and often only after 9 pm. If you are spontaneous as a tourist, you can experience many positive culinary surprises. To be able to find the ideal restaurant, travel guides or internet sites are useful.
Pamboli
Pamboli, or also spelled “Pa amb oli”, is a typical starter made of bread. In Spanish it means “bread with oil“. The basis of this dish is unsalted bread that is toasted. The other ingredients are olive oil, tomato and garlic. One side of the bread is rubbed with a sliced clove of garlic and a tomato and finally drizzled with olive oil. It is possible to add ham, cheese, diced tomatoes, vegetables, olives, capers or fish. Originally, there was only the variation with the bread and oil. The tomato and the other ingredients were added much later. So bread with oil is the natural predecessor of bread with tomato. It is a pleasant duty to order this starter in a typical Mallorcan restaurant.
Tapas
Besides the sea, the sun and the beach, tapas are also part of Mallorcan culture. Originally from Catalonia, tapas have become an integral part of Mallorcan cuisine. Once they were just an appetiser, but nowadays they have become Spain’s national dish. Especially in the southern areas, dinner is eaten very late. So it is more common to go to the tapas bars after 21:00. After dark, the locals go to bars together and enjoy the hearty appetisers with a glass of wine or beer. Bread with aioli is often served with the tapas. Aioli is a garlic mayonnaise made with olive oil, garlic and salt. Milk, a piece of boiled potato or hard-boiled egg yolk is also added and seasoned with lemon juice and black pepper at the end. The most popular tapas include albóndigas (meatballs with tomato sauce), boquerones (anchovies marinated in vinegar), caracoles (country snails in a spicy sauce) and dátiles/ciruelas con bacon (dates/plums wrapped in bacon).
Empanadas
Spanish empanadas originally come from the region of Galicia and are now known throughout the country. Traditional bakeries sell the specialities. Typically, Spanish empanadas are round and have a diameter of about 30 centimetres. After baking, they are cut into small portions. The dumplings made of yeast dough are known and popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Empanadas are usually served at Easter time and are filled with savoury or sweet contents. Originally, no yeast was used for the dough in Mallorca. There are no rules for filling the pockets, so anything from vegetables or mushrooms to meat and fish is possible. The empanadas are then coated with egg yolk and baked in the oven until crispy. Today, you will find the dumplings made of dough circles or squares folded together and pressed together at the edge with a fork. Depending on tradition or taste, the dough is sweet or neutral. Sugar or orange juice is added for this.
Arroz brut
The “dirty rice” is a broth with lots of meat and rice. The meat, often rabbit, chicken, pigeon and pork, is sautéed with olive oil, onions and garlic in a clay cooking pot called greixonera. Fresh tomatoes, parsley and water are added. Rice is added at the end and then the dish is seasoned with salt and pepper. If necessary, snails or other ingredients can be added. In the past, the dish was a “poor man’s meal”, but nowadays higher quality and more expensive ingredients are used. Different ingredients are used in each restaurant, so the dish is special each time. The name of the dish comes from the colour of the broth, which is very cloudy. The reason for the colour is the spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika and saffron. Another reason is the liver that is added at the end. Originally, the recipe was invented by farmers in the fields. They gathered and hunted all day and then threw everything together in the oven in the evening. For this reason, the ingredients are not always the same and vary according to the season.
Turrón
Mallorca’s special features include the approximately seven million almond trees. Accordingly, numerous almonds are ploughed and processed every year. Almonds serve as the basis for many traditional dishes. A very well-known speciality is turrón. It is a popular pastry that consists largely of almond brittle. The rest is sugar, honey and egg white. The bars are rectangular and contain whole peeled almonds in a firm sweet paste and are wrapped in white wafer sheets. There are also softer variations. These contain a sticky mixture of honey, sugar and egg white. A variation called mantecados contains no almonds but lard. Turrones come from the province of Alicante. It is highly recommended to try the specialities from small and traditional pastry shops.
Hierbas
The herbal schnapps hierbas is made from aniseed and serves as a nightcap after a big dinner. It is one of the most important traditional drinks on Mallorca. Different herbs are added, some of which have their roots in medicine. There are three different varieties in terms of sugar and alcohol content:
- Hierbas de Mallorca dulces: This type of hierbas has a very sweet taste because it has a high sugar content. The alcohol content is 20 percent. The sweet liquor is particularly popular with tourists.
- Hierbas de Mallorca mezcladas: The semi-dry schnapps has a lower sugar content. At 25 percent, the alcohol content is slightly higher than before. It is a classic for many locals of Mallorca.
- Hierbas de Mallorca secas: The secas is a dry hierbas with a very low sugar content. At 40 percent, the spirit has the highest alcohol content and is considered a Mallorcan aperitif for gourmets.
If you visit the beautiful holiday island of Mallorca, it is definitely recommended to try these delicacies. So what are you waiting for?
