Cuisine of the Balearic Islands

The Balearic Islands lie in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of eastern Spain and are made up of four main islands, namely Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, with each one having its own individual character and history.

The gastronomy of each island is the accumulation of skills and knowledge from many years of control by the different cultures passing through and also the richness of the islands' resources. The Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Phoenicians are just some of the cultures who have left their traces on the islands culinary map.

Mahonesa is a product which originated in the Balearics during the time of the French occupation of the islands. Made from locally available ingredients at the time, the sauce we know today as mayonnaise began its journey onto the tables of the world.

Almond blossom creates a spectacularly beautiful sight during the month of February in the fields of the Balearic Islands. The nuts themselves form an essential ingredient in many of the traditional dishes of the islands and when they are combined with other ingredients, the resulting meals are extremely tasty. Much of the cuisine of the Balearics, due mainly to their island status, consists of fish and other seafood ingredients such as the Mallorquin shrimp and the Menorquin lobster.

Menorca:

Here you can find the (arguably) best seafood dishes in the Mediterranean. Arroz con Langosta (a rice and seafood dish) and Caldereta de Langosta (seafood flavoured with peppers, garlic and herb liqueur) are two of the most popular. Other traditional fayres from the island of Menorca include Perdiz Menorquina (Menorcan style partridge) and Queso de Mahon, the pungent cheese wrapped in a yellow wax seal and exported all over the world.

Mallorca:

Mallorca is known for its clear soups containing noodles, fish or meat and also the wonderful sauces. Local specialities include Rostit – a pork dish with eggs, bread, liver and apples cooked in the oven, and Pollo relleno de Granada (chicken stuffed with pomegranates) amongst many others.

Sweet lovers are spoiled for choice with many small sponge cakes and the favourite ‘coca de albricoques’ being a few amongst the many temptations on offer. A particularly well known sweet originating from the island of Mallorca and now made and sold all over the world, is the traditional, spiral shaped pastries, ‘ensaimadas’ (or more officially ‘Ensaimadas de Mallorca’).