Five Typical Mallorcan Products You Must Try
When visiting a city, town, or any region, travelers often want to explore all the iconic places, whether they are natural or related to culture and art. One aspect worth considering when traveling is local cuisine.
Food speaks of tradition, history, agriculture, livestock, economy, and reveals aspects of a people that might not be known otherwise.
In Mallorca, the cuisine is unique and rich, Mediterranean of course, with a series of standout products that you must try and perhaps take as souvenirs.
Today, we suggest five typical products from the island that you must taste.
- 1.Sobrasada
Of course, it's the first on the list. The first written reference to this typical Mallorcan sausage dates to 1403 when King Martin I of Aragon requested to have sobrasada among other dishes.
It's made from pork, salt, pepper, and paprika, with both sweet and spicy versions available. Both are delicious.
There are different types of sobrasada, depending on the casing used to preserve the meat. It's most enjoyed with olive oil biscuits or in dishes like "lomo con col" (pork loin with cabbage), empanadas, or "arrós brut" (a traditional rice dish).
- 2.Olive Oil Biscuits
There are several well-known brands in Mallorca: Quely, Gori de Muro, Rosselló... Olive oil biscuits, also known as "galletas de aceite," are so typical of the island that Mallorcans often bring them in their luggage wherever they go because it's hard to do without them.
They are made from wheat flour, olive oil, lard, salt, and yeast, and lately, spices are added to give them different flavors. Some brands make them with various herbs, paprika, sesame, or chia seeds.
- 3.Ensaimada de Mallorca
It's the quintessential sweet treat in Mallorca and incredibly versatile. It's eaten for breakfast with coffee, as dessert, as a snack with hot chocolate, or even as dinner on special occasions. It pairs well with ice cream, hot and cold beverages, and can be filled with cream, chocolate, a combination of both, almond nougat, or "crema cremada" (like crème brûlée). There's even a Carnival variation called "tellades," which involves placing pieces of sweet pumpkin and sobrasada on top before baking.
The tradition of the ensaimada dates to the 17th century when a sort of spiral brioche was described, named after its main ingredient, lard ("saïm" in Mallorcan).
- 4.Mallorcan Honey
Llubí is the primary producer of Mallorcan honey and even dedicates a fall fair to this sweet ingredient.
Typically, beehives are placed in oak and carob tree forests to allow bees to pollinate their flowers.
This process results in a dark-colored honey with a unique aroma characteristic of these areas. The honey extraction process is entirely natural to preserve its properties. It can be found packaged with or without walnuts, plums, figs, or dried apricots.
- 5.Hierbas Liquor
Sweet, dry, or semi-dry, Mallorca's hierbas liquor is the perfect way to conclude a delicious meal. Served over ice, it creates fine swirls in the greenish liquid and is a favorite among Mallorcans. It's another product you must try.
Hierbas liquor is made from over 30 plants found on the island, including fennel, rosemary, chamomile, and verbena, as well as lemon and orange.
It was initially crafted by monks for medicinal purposes, but its consumption quickly became popular, and today it's one of Mallorca's most well-known products.
