Jul 25 2019

Infographics: What do the Balearic Islands taste like?

Sobrassada, Mahón cheese and ensaimada are the most representative foods from these Spanish islands in the Mediterranean Sea, but they're home to many more gastronomic treasures.

Foods from the Balearic Islands

Sobrasada from Mallorca, which bears a PDO distinction, is a raw, cured sausage made from ground pork, salt and pimentón (a Spanish type of paprika) and has a creamy, spreadable texture. The pimentón gives it a very distinctive flavor and it can be used in many different recipes, both cold and hot. Ensaimada is a pastry that is typically served for breakfast or as a snack. It's made from flour, water, sugar and lard. A simple yet excellent product.

The inland areas of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are home to fertile land where top-rate vegetables are produced and often used in traditional recipes such as tumbet de verduras (vegetable medley) and coca from Mallorca (some even say that coca gave rise to pizza).

Olive oil is another top product from the Balearic Islands. Home to PDO Oli de Mallorca, extra virgin olive oil here is made from the following types of olives: Mallorquina, Picual, Empeltre and Arbequina. Pure liquid gold and a healthy elixir.

The island of Menorca is home to a true culinary treasure: Mahón-Menorca cheese. Made exclusively with cow's milk, the PDO Mahón-Menorca Cheese Regulatory Council oversees the production of three types of cheese: soft, semi-cured and cured, and it also distinguishes between cheeses made from pasteurized milk and traditional Mahón-Menorca cheese, made with raw milk.

The Mediterranean flavor of the islands also pervades its fishing and seafood traditions. Dishes such as bullit de peix (a typical Ibizan fish stew) and the famous Menorcan caldereta de langosta (lobster stew) are proof of this. We'll conclude with one more example we simply can't leave out: the Balearic tradition of producing salt and fleur de sal.

Shall we make a toast? We can choose from fantastic wines made from local grapes in the Balearic Islands' various production areas: DO BinissalemDO Pla i LlevantVT Isla de IbizaVT Isla de MenorcaVT MallorcaVT FormenteraVT Sierra de Tramuntana-Costa Nord and VT Illes Baleares.

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Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands)

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