Ensaimades, a crumb covered postcard from Mallorca
You may have noticed through the Instagram stream on the right, that I recently escaped the stormy grey skies of an English November and spent a carefree and sun filled few days on the Spanish island of Mallorca. The combination of low season flight prices and a serious need for some sunlight proved an irresistible combination, who can resist the siren call of the Mediterranean? Mallorca had long been on a list of potential places to visit, the island is famous for cycling and hiking, big enough to lose the holiday hordes if visiting high season and has the added attraction of the small coastal city of Palma, filled with art galleries and ancient architecture. It did not disappoint on this first visit. Crossing off another first on the holiday checklist, I booked a small apartment through AirBnB (easy, practical and great for local advice). Located on the fourth floor of an old apartment block with an impressively solid antique oak door, our apartment was just steps away from Palma cathedral and the beautiful Parc de la Mar.
My first thoughts anywhere new always turn to food, the best restaurants and cafes, the must-have local dish, the food shops and specialists, the local produce and markets. I spend days researching these before arrival (seriously, travel with me and you will always eat well but you may have to do some walking). I usually have an idea (sometimes a list) of things I must try or places I must at the very least walk past and press my nose against the window but am also fully prepared to go off piste and be distracted by some new edible item that catches my attention. For this particular trip, I intended to indulge frequently in ensaimades, a light and sugary pastry, whose spiritual home is Mallorca. Having been a fairly frequent visitor to other parts of Spain I have eaten many poorer versions, all in an attempt to recall a delicious memory of the first I encountered many years ago in small village shop on another Balearic Island. These spiral shaped pastries were everywhere and in many sizes. Some filled with cream, some with additions of sobrassada, a kind of spreadable chorizo and slices of sweet candied fruit, a sweet/savoury combination that I loved. Best of all were the enormous ensaimades to take home, beautifully packaged in distinctive boxes and tied with ribbon.
The trouble with such pastelerÃas or forn is that they are usually full of other delicious looking produce, all of which must also be tried. Here I learnt about crespells, flower shaped butter biscuits, gató Mallorqui, a dense almond cake, flaky and delicate tarta de queso, empanades (little savoury pasties) and their bigger cousins, cocarrois, filled with spinach, pine nuts and raisins, still warm from the oven and small little nuggets of sweet marzipan studded with toasted pine nuts whose name escapes me but are perfect with a café solo sitting in a cobbled square.
Wandering the winding alleys of the old town where the buildings lean in to each other to block out the heat of the summer sun became a calorific adventure, each corner a chance to stop and purchase an expertly wrapped package and sit people-watching outside an ornate church whilst scoffing the contents, a few steps more and another square and this time a chance for a caña or small beer whilst considering where to eat dinner.
It was obvious that 7 days was just not long enough to explore these tempting treats so I am very sure I will be back with an even longer list of things to eat and whilst I save my pennies I'll be exploring Mallorcan cooking at home. I've already started with several jars of pumpkin jam made this very weekend but that's for another post!
My first thoughts anywhere new always turn to food, the best restaurants and cafes, the must-have local dish, the food shops and specialists, the local produce and markets. I spend days researching these before arrival (seriously, travel with me and you will always eat well but you may have to do some walking). I usually have an idea (sometimes a list) of things I must try or places I must at the very least walk past and press my nose against the window but am also fully prepared to go off piste and be distracted by some new edible item that catches my attention. For this particular trip, I intended to indulge frequently in ensaimades, a light and sugary pastry, whose spiritual home is Mallorca. Having been a fairly frequent visitor to other parts of Spain I have eaten many poorer versions, all in an attempt to recall a delicious memory of the first I encountered many years ago in small village shop on another Balearic Island. These spiral shaped pastries were everywhere and in many sizes. Some filled with cream, some with additions of sobrassada, a kind of spreadable chorizo and slices of sweet candied fruit, a sweet/savoury combination that I loved. Best of all were the enormous ensaimades to take home, beautifully packaged in distinctive boxes and tied with ribbon.
The trouble with such pastelerÃas or forn is that they are usually full of other delicious looking produce, all of which must also be tried. Here I learnt about crespells, flower shaped butter biscuits, gató Mallorqui, a dense almond cake, flaky and delicate tarta de queso, empanades (little savoury pasties) and their bigger cousins, cocarrois, filled with spinach, pine nuts and raisins, still warm from the oven and small little nuggets of sweet marzipan studded with toasted pine nuts whose name escapes me but are perfect with a café solo sitting in a cobbled square.
Wandering the winding alleys of the old town where the buildings lean in to each other to block out the heat of the summer sun became a calorific adventure, each corner a chance to stop and purchase an expertly wrapped package and sit people-watching outside an ornate church whilst scoffing the contents, a few steps more and another square and this time a chance for a caña or small beer whilst considering where to eat dinner.
It was obvious that 7 days was just not long enough to explore these tempting treats so I am very sure I will be back with an even longer list of things to eat and whilst I save my pennies I'll be exploring Mallorcan cooking at home. I've already started with several jars of pumpkin jam made this very weekend but that's for another post!
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