Culinary Tour to the Island of Mallorca, Spain

Spanish food varies from one region to the next, and I love each and every one of them! Local Mallorca food (known in the native tongue as ‘Mallorquin’ food) is based on pork, fish and vegetables. This regional Spanish food features hearty home-cooking and generous helpings of garlic and olive oil. Local cooks add their own unique nuance, flavors, and techniques to whatever ingredients are readily available.

Rooted in local traditions and ingredients that can be found on the island, you can expect plenty of citrus, terrific almonds, juicy olives, the best walnuts, and local salt from the wonderful natural salt plains in the south. Together, we'll explore the markets for the best local produce, fish, cheeses, and Mallorcan specialties, like the spreadable cured sausage, called sobrassada, and create fabulous meals with these great ingredients back at our villa.  

I can't wait to show you how to make the seafood stew called Caldereta. And we'll create a medley of vegetables in a local dish called a Tumbet, and make sure to use the best Spanish olive oil and plenty of fresh garlic.  And one night, we may have to make something cozy like Arroz Brut --a sumptuous clay pot of sausages, meats, vegetables, and spices -- to enjoy with local red wine and crusty bread.  

With a plethora of great ingredients at our fingertips, we'll have so many options! Creating these classic regional dishes just might make you feel as if you belong here.  Trust me- between the food, climate, culture and the people here, you may not ever want to leave!

Mallorca has so much to offer that our biggest dilemma will be to decide where to begin!  I want to share with you everything this little slice of heaven has to offer.

We simply must take in the cultural hub and capitol, Palma.  The compact and beautifully preserved center of Mallorca’s capital echoes the island’s rich and historic Moorish, Gothic, and Renaissance past-- such as the 14th-century Bellver Castle.  We'll explore Palma's outstanding food market, S’Olivar.  This is one of the best in Spain, which is really saying something!  A tour of the stalls reveals the range and depth of Mallorcan produce, which includes fruits, vegetables, and nuts, island-bred meats, and seafood of amazing variety and freshness. Then, we can take a walk through the maze of narrow streets in Old Town and discover fascinating stores, típico restaurants, and historic landmarks.  Just when we've worked up our appetites, we can enjoy lunch at a traditional Spanish tasca, or head to one of the local favorites for upscale tapas?!  Oh, and to get back home?  We'll board an impeccably restored wooden antique train for a beautiful ride through the Tramuntana mountains! The 27-kilometer journey on this 1912 wood-paneled train, as it trundles placidly along through fields and orange groves, will be something we won’t soon forget.

Another day we might have to wander among dazzling white “mountains” in the salt flats of Es Trencas, where we'll learn about the fascinating process behind the world’s finest salt.  Or since olive trees and olive oil are embedded in the landscape and culture of Mallorca, perhaps we should visit a country estate high in the Serra de Tramuntana where the island’s last traditional olive mill is still in operation.  We can take a personalized tour of the olive grove, have an olive oil tasting and finish the day off with a Mallorquín feast!

And finally, one of Majorca's secrets is how thriving the wine growing region is here. The wine region––Mallorca’s wine scene has exploded in recent years, with an emphasis on quality and local varieties like Manto Negro and Callet.  From full-bodied reds to crisp whites and of course, sparkling cava, a trip to a local vineyard and wine tasting is a must.