DAY 81: WHAT TO EAT, DRINK AND SHOP FOR IN MALLORCA

**Note:  I know I haven't posted Day 80 yet.  It is coming, I just don't want to hold up all the other days so it will just have to be a little out of order!  :)



Friday, July 4 (Mallorca, Spain) – I’m pretty sure I’m the only American on the entire island of Mallorca.  It is the 4th of July and my red, white and blue bathing suit is the only USA pride I can see.  Of course, why would an island filled with Germans and Spaniards acknowledge Independence Day!  But still, it felt weird not to be at a BBQ or watching fireworks.  (But thank you to all my friends in the states for waking me up in the middle of the night with photos and videos of fireworks... it was allllmost like I was there too... sort of.)

So since I can't celebrate my country, let's celebrate the country I am in, and specifically the island:  Mallorca (or Majorca in English).  It is a small island, but it feels big since I am not very familiar with it.  So these are some of the local delicacies that you should be able to find in any part of the island.

What to eat in Mallorca

Ensaimadas with chocolate

Ensaimadas are the local spiral pastries that Mallorca is known for and is often eaten at breakfast.  They are very light, simple pastries that come in a variety of sizes and fillings.  I tried the chocolate, but fillings can be either sweet or savory.  To be honest, I didn't love it.  I thought the pastry itself was very bland and not worth the calories.  But it wasn't bad and it was certainly worth trying!  

Local almonds (almendras)

Mallorca is home to a type of almond that I've never seen before.  They are slightly larger and sweeter than the traditional almond, and they are also used in a variety of sweets on the island like turron (a dessert nougat).

Pamboli (bread with tomato) using fresh ramallet tomatoes

Ramallet tomatoes are endemic to the island of Mallorca and are used in many of the local dishes like pamboli (bread with olive oil and tomato) and arroz brut (a typical rice dish).  They are often found hanging from a string which helps with preservation.

Many flavors of Flor de Sal to taste

Mallorcan Sea Salt is a popular condiment to most dishes.  Salt is plentiful on the island, especially because the hot and windy conditions causes the salt in the man-made salt lakes to crust, and that crust is turned into high-quality artisan salt (a growing business on the island).  This is known as 'Flor de Sal' and is healthier than table salt because of its higher contents of calcium, magnesium and other nutrients.  It comes in a variety of flavors and makes a great souvenir!

What to drink in Mallorca

Drinking Tunel, the best-known hierbas on the island

A common after-dinner drink is Hierbas (herbs) which is aniseed-based and filled with local herbs.  It comes in two varieties - secos (dry) and dulces (sweet) (although sometimes you can find a semi-sweet) - and is usually enjoyed on ice.  Hierbas are said to have many medicinal benefits such as helping with digestion, so it is a tradition to have some after a meal.

Palo in the bottle

Palo de Mallorca is a local liquor that is dark and thick and has a taste of caramel and the woods (because of the Quina bark used as a main ingredient) - a mixture of sweetness and bitterness.  People drink Palo as an aperitif. I did not get to try Palo, but I'm putting it on the list because I hear it is a good local delicacy.

A selection of Mallorcan wine

Mallorcan Wine is also very common and has been a part of the culture since the 14th century.  After a natural disaster (infestation of vine-eating bugs) in the 19th century, the local wine industry is rebuilding and many vineyards have sprouted up in recent years.  Popular grapes include Manto Negro, Fogoneu, Giro Blanc, and Prensal Blanc.

What to shop for in Mallorca (besides all of the above!)

A display at the Mallorca Pearl museum

Pearls are famous in Mallorca, particularly in the Manacor region.  But the pearls here are not completely natural.  About 100 years ago, a process was perfected to cultivate and manufacture artificial pearls that allowed people to adorn themselves for a slice of the price. Ultimately it was a German engineer who was working in Paris and moved to Mallorca with his company that made 'Majorica' pearls famous.  You can visit the small and free Mallorcan Pearl museum in Palma, and buy pearls - real and fake - in Palma, Manacor and across the island.

Pottery at one of the weekly markets; photo cred: seemallorca.com

Every village in Mallorca has a weekly market, and for the shopping enthusiasts, it is easy to find a different market in a different region every day of the week.  Sineu on Wednesdays is the largest on the island, but the weekend markets are also extremely crowded and popular.  Depending on the market, you can find a variety of different products from food and local produce to clothes, leather goods, and more.

Olive wood in all shapes and sizes; photo cred: serradetramuntana.net

There is an abundance of olive trees in Mallorca, particularly in the northwestern Tramuntana Mountains.  Because of this, crafts made of olive wood are commonly used and sold.  You can find small souvenirs like cutlery and bowls all the way to much bigger pieces like furniture.  The wood is beautiful and makes for a great souvenir.