Gastronomia

Even though this a budget travel experience, I have eaten in a lot of impressive Mallorquin restaurants. I am lucky that my couchsurfing tendencies provide me with more local, traditional food than the average tourist in the Islas Baleares. On one of my first nights, I ate at the well-known-but-not-overhyped Bar Bosch. I didn’t even realize it was one of the recommendations in my Wallpaper* guidebook til days afterward. I already described the tumbet and their crusty, buttery bread, but it’s so good I’m mentioning it again. The bread comes in small loaves, on which you rub a bit of garlic. Cut a small tomato in half and spread the juices on the bread. Lastly, pour over a generous amount of olive oil and eat. I would eat this with every meal from here on out. ¡Disfruta! When I wanted to try the traditional Mallorquin pastry, ensaimadas, Marta took me to the place “where families go on Christmas Eve.” It was a charming heladeria that reminded me of Edith Wharton. The tables and walls were so turn-of-the-century, with antique photos and floral curtains to boot. I had the ensaimada with helado de almendra. This almond icemilk is one of the examples of how Mallorca’s almond crops are made into delicious treats. Marta had a cuarto, which was like a sweet cake/bread hybrid. I preferred the light, sugary flakiness of the ensaimada. In fact, I had one the next morning with apricots at this restaurant in central Mallorca. Marta explained that the restaurant is owned by three sisters who do not get along. She said you can go in once and have something that is really good, but the same dish can be terrible when another sister takes over her shift. I thought their pa amb oli was good, but I got a piece of plastic from the ham wrapping stuck in my teeth.  Last night, Marta and I had an intimate dinner at Can Pedro. I filled up on pa amb tomaquet, so I couldn’t really eat my pork loin. Marta ordered conejo, or rabbit, which I have never eaten before. Marta was saying that people in CZ were turned off by the idea of eating cute little bunnies. It was delicious. Today we met Luis’s aunt in San Severa, and went out to a family lunch at a buffet. I’ve had an open mind for trying new foods on this trip, which is a big change for me. It took a bit of nerve, but I actually ate snails. Marta’s mom handed me one on a toothpick, what’s a girl to do? I am glad I tried it, but that’s probably the last time I ever eat a snail. I have too many memories of stepping on them when I was little and hearing that horrible noise. I really enjoyed the “poor cake” that Luis made me eat (I was full!) It tasted like a combination of a coconut cake with a crème brulee filling and carmelized sugar coating. If that’s how the poor eat in San Severa, I think I will move there after this trip is over!