Among the tourist destinations of the Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands are an archipelago made up of five major islands and several minor ones. Mallorca, famous for its crystalline waters, coves, and picturesque villages, also has a viticultural tradition that goes hand-in-hand with its authentic and quite symbolic cuisine. Reason enough to visit the island? It seems it is…
The Mediterranean island of Mallorca is exquisite. In addition to its 555 kilometers of coastline with more than 250 beaches of all sizes, it also has the Serra de Tramuntana, a mountain range that runs across the top of the island from southwest to northeast and that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. But its imposing nature, however, is not the only thing that attracts the people who flock to Mallorca. Its viticultural and gastronomic traditions also tell the story of a land that has been conquered by Arabs, English, and French who have influenced each of its dishes.
Some of the high-quality products that form the foundation of many of the island’s dishes include olive oil, sea salt, and local almonds. Its agricultural and livestock tradition stands out for its vegetable cultivation as well as its pork production, which is used to one of Mallorca’s essential and most symbolic foods: the famous Sobrasada.Sobrasada is delicious sausage with a soft, creamy texture made with cured black pork primarily seasoned with red and black pepper and has its own Indicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP). It is ideal as an appetizer, although it also combines perfectly with entrées, meats, fish, eggs, and vegetables. Its potent flavor works very well with sparkling wines that help refresh the palate, but because it also has red pepper, a penetrating wine with firm notes of blackberries and cherries and a delicious smoky note, such as Marques de Casa Concha Syrah, is also an excellent option.
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- Sobrasada (Ph: Wikimedia)
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- Coca de Trampó (Ph: Delantal de Alces)
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- Tumbet (Ph: Carmen Tia Alia – Directo al Paladar)
Another typical local dish is the Coca de Trampó, which is similar to a pizza, but its crust (the coca) is traditionally made with lard and not fermented, which makes it much denser. It is topped with the trampó, a typical Mallorcan salad of tomatoes, onions, red and green onions, salt, and oil. After baking, it is cooled before serving to preserve the crunchiness of the crust. It pairs very well with a white wine with good structure and fatty notes such as the Marques de Casa Concha Edición Limitada Chardonnay.
Among its most popular dishes—and one that’s apt for vegetarians—Tumbet appears on nearly every restaurant menu on the island. Similar to Escalivada (Catalan Roasted Vegetables), it consists of a combination of eggplant, finely sliced potatoes, and bell peppers, all fried and placed in a pan and then covered with a tomato sauce made with garlic, parsley, and oil. Because it is often served with meat or fish, it can be served with a red or white wine, although the Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere, with its light note of roasted red pepper, complements this dish very well.
And to conclude, it would be impossible not to mention the sweet touch of the delicious Ensaïmadas, which are so popular and characteristic of the island that they are even sold in the Palma de Mallorca airport as souvenirs. Locals eat them for breakfast, but in truth they can be enjoyed at any time of day. These spiral-shaped confections are sprinkled with powdered sugar and may be filled with pastry cream, chocolate, or even Sobrasada… Are you tempted?
