The use of “porcella” in meals and family
gatherings is very typical, it is usually roast pig, with a lot of cut
potatoes, seasoned with herbs from the island such as rosemary and others.
The typical salad , mainly consumed during the summer is the “trampo”,
consisting of tomato, onion and green pepper. The latest versions include tuna.
At the time of Easter the “empanadas” (pies) are indispensable, stuffed with
lamb, peas and “sobrasada “ but also with fish. The pies can be made with sweet
or salty pastry, although the most commonly used is the salty pastry.
Also
typical for Easter are the sweets, known as “crespells” and the “ robiols”,
traditionally stuffed with cottage cheese or melon syrup, but also with
marmalade. Another typical sweet is the “coca de cuarto”.
Also very common are the so called “coca de verdura”, made with “trampo” or
with roasted red peppers. Typical are the “cocarolls”, which are a kind of pie,
triangular-shaped and stuffed with vegetables and raisins.
The mallorcan wines are appreciated in other parts of Spain and also in Europe
in recent years. Mallorca has two Dominations of Origin: D.O.Binissalem
-Mallorca and D.O. Pla I Llevant, as well as a geographical indication Vino de la
Tierra Mallorca.
Festivals
On the 20th of January ,the patron saint of Palma , San Sebastian is celebrated in
Palma , although more so his "revetlla “or evening party, the day before;
but in most of the towns of the island, the most celebrated festival is that of
Sant Antoni Abad (17th of January) and
the festival of Sant Antoni (16th of January ) the day
before, is celebrated in many villages (Arta, Manacor ,...) but par excellence
in Puebla, where it has been celebrated since the thirteenth century, year
after year, being one of the most important festivals throughout the island.
Another of
the multitudinous celebrations on the island is that of "Dijous Bo” in
Inca, where they have a fair with all kinds of malloran products , this is also
celebrated in some towns in the centre of the island (the" Raiguer).
And in memory of the fight against the muslims, there are several places
where it is a tradition to stage the battles between christians and muslims,
called "Moros y Cristianos". The places where it is revived with the
most passion ,are Pollensa , held the day of the saint patron (the 2nd of
August ) and Soller, where it is held on Monday following the second Sunday in
May.
The oldest festival which is celebrated in Mallorca (and one of the oldest in
Europe, as it has developed steadily since 1229) is the one that , every 31st of
December, commemorates the conquest of the Crown of Aragon of the capital by
the troops of King James I.
Among the typical dishes of Mallorca are the
“ensaimada” (roll of puff pastry) and different types of sausage. The best
known is the “sobrasada” and others such as the “butifarrones” , the “camaiot”,
the “blanquets” etc. One of the most popular dishes is the mallorcan fried food
(“frit mallorquí “), which can be of blood and/or offal (lung, liver, blood,
cooked blood, etc) of lamb or pork, or of seafood. Also important are the
mallorcan soups,the “tumbet”,the loin with cabbage or esclatasang , stuffed
aubergines and various ways to prepare rice such as the famous rice Brut. The”
cocas de patata” are characteristic for Valldemosa, the “sospiros” and the
“espinagada en la Puebla “ for Manacor and the “ pa amb oli “is considered the
provincial dish of the island.
The first Saturday of August each year they celebrate
the “Marcha des Güell a Lluc a peu”,when they walk from Palma to the Sanctuary
of Lluch (Escorca). The faithful walk this march to venerate Nuestra Senora de
Lluc (patron saint of Mallorca).
There's also a celebration of the “Diada de Mallorca” (Day of Mallorca), on the
12th of September. This event has been recently established by the Consell
de Mallorca, it commemorates the swearing in by King Jaume II of Mallorca of
the "Carta de franqueses i privilegis del Regne de Mallorca” in the year
1276. According to the tradition, the Christian troops sent by James I, landed
in Santa Ponça and began the conquest of Mallorca,the same day of the year
1229. Anyway, it is an institutional event with little popular impact.
Another
local festival , is that of San Sebastian, the patron saint of the capital, on
the 20th of January in which eve bonfires are lit along the streets of the city
and piling of the local sausages (sobrasada,butifarron,etc..) into towers
(torradas) is practised.
