TOP 10 MAJORCAN PRODUCTS THAT YOU SHOULD TRY WHEN VISITING

Souvenirs are the perfect option to remember the good times spent on holidays and, at the same time, to surprise family and friends when you return home. Although a T-shirt or a fridge magnet can be used to cover the file, why not choose a quality souvenir, which is up to the destination visited? If you are planning to visit the largest of the Balearic Islands, you will want to know what the typical products of Majorca are.

From its handmade footwear industry to its delicatessen specialties, including its highly dignified wines and its delicious traditional bakery, Majorca offers travelers a wide range of proposals to ensure that they always find the ideal gift. And although the possibilities of purchase go far beyond the lines of this post, here we bring you some items. We are sure you will find the right one. Take note!

1. Sobrassada

One of the typical products of Majorca that cannot be missing in your suitcase is sobrassada, the local delicatessen specialty par excellence. This delicacy is made with pork, salt, pepper and paprika and stands out for its incomparable flavor in both its sweet and spicy versions. The local population usually eat it spread on bread or on crackers -we’ll take care of that right away-, but it is also used to accompany other meats. It can even be served with honey or chips, or as part of some traditional Majorcan dishes, such as arròs brut, tumbet, coques salades or frit mallorquí.

2. Majorcan wine

Wheat, olive trees and vines: what is known as the Mediterranean trilogy. And Majorca, given its geographical location, is no stranger to these three pillars of the local diet. The island has two wine regions with denomination of origin: Binissalem and Pla i Llevant, although wine production is spread throughout Majorca. The exquisite Majorcan wines, made with the native varieties of black grapes -for example, Manto negro, Callet, Fogoneu or Gorgollassa– and white grapes -mainly Prensal, Giró ros and malvasía- are exported more and more and earn awards in prestigious international competitions, which increases their popularity.

Majorca offers an oenological route that includes 14 wineries, out of the more than 70 on the island. Some of the towns most linked to the wine tradition are Felanitx, Santa Maria del Camí, Consell, Binissalem, Sencelles and Santa Eugènia, where guided tours and tastings are organized. Don’t miss this jewel of Majorcan gastronomy!

3. Olive oil from Majorca

Recognized with the certificate of Denomination of Origin, Majorcan olive oil is made with the mallorquina, arbequina, empeltre and picual olive varieties. The local oil can be sweet, if made from ripe olives, or fruity, if made from green olives, although it can also have a bitter and spicy taste. The production of Majorcan olive oil, considered one of the best in the world, is quite limited due to the geographical and climatic conditions of the island and the age of Majorcan olive trees, some of which are over 500 years old. Traditionally produced, it is an oil of exceptional quality that will give a unique flavor to your dishes. Try it!

4. Majorcan honey

Another typical Majorcan product is honey. This appetizing ingredient is produced in different corners of the island, in apiaries located in forests of holm oaks and carob trees that give the honey a very special aroma, as well as the characteristic dark color that is typical of this type of flower. The extraction, filtering and packaging of the honey are carried out in a completely traditional manner using traditional methods so that the product retains all its properties intact after packaging. The premise is clear: natural, above all.

5. Herbal liqueur

This is the locals’ favorite liquor. Its anisette flavor is the result of a mixture of plants present on the island, such as fennel, rosemary, verbena or chamomile, as well as orange and lemon. Originally, this product was made by Majorcan monks for medicinal purposes. However, its consumption has become popular all over the island until it became one of the main tourist products of Majorca. Nowadays, there are different types of herbs, depending on their sugar content and the amount of alcohol. Choose yours!

6. Inca savory biscuits (Quelitas)

This delicious specialty is named after the town where they originated, Inca, although they are also known by the name of the brand that markets them, Quely. Some even refer to them as galetes d’oli (‘oil cookies’ in Catalan), as olive oil is one of its main ingredients. As well as being an appetizing product at any time, these biscuits also have a long history behind them. In fact, its creation responds to the need of the sailors of the Modern Age, who were looking for a nutritious food that could be kept in good condition for months and that was easy to store. In fact, the use of biscuits on ocean crossings is documented in the 18th century, especially on English ships, and it is known that these biscuits were already being produced by hand in Majorca in the 19th century: specifically, in the old workshop of Can Guixe, in Inca. Bon profit!

7. Gori de Muro cookies with rosemary

We continue with more traditional Majorcan cookies, although this time we move to the north of the island. Gori de Muro rosemary biscuits condense part of the island’s baking tradition and, at the same time, are ideal as a snack or to take a quality gift back, inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean. They are made with wheat flour, butter, oil, salt, yeast and rosemary. Majorcan people love them and eat them at any time of the day. It is no wonder why they are another of the products of Majorca that should not be missed.

By the way: don’t forget to make the most of your visit to Platja de Muro, where one of the best beaches in Majorca awaits.

8. The Majorcan ensaïmada

There is no discussion possible: this is the quintessential recipe of Majorcan bakery. Moreover, this specialty can be tasted at breakfast, dessert or afternoon snack, or it can be taken between meals to recover strength during your road trips around Majorca. Present in almost all bars, restaurants and bakeries on the island, this spiral-shaped brioche sprinkled with icing sugar has a unique flavor and texture. Although its origins are still unknown, there are records of Majorcan ensaïmades since the 17th century. Although you can buy this product anywhere on the island, make sure it bears the Ensaïmada de Mallorca Protected Geographical Indication sticker.

9. Cultured pearls

In 1890, the company named Majorica ® invented the production of organic pearls made by human beings in Majorca. Both the production process and the selection of the pieces is done by hand, one at a time. A Majorica ® pearl is composed of an opal glass core, which has the same characteristics of density and weight as the best cultured pearls. In addition, it is covered with several layers of what is called pearl essence, an extract obtained from organic elements from the Mediterranean thanks to a secret technique. During your holidays, you can easily get to the various shops that this jewelry company has in various parts of the island with your car rental in Majorca.

10. Majorcan footwear: porqueres

We close our review of typical Majorcan products with porqueres (a type of footwear that, despite its name, has nothing to do with pig farming; as porc is pig in Catalan). This footwear was a revolution in the 1920s when it replaced what had been the traditional Majorcan footwear par excellence: the espadrille, which became unusable when its esparto grass sole got wet. Nowadays, there are around 50 artisan firms that produce these leather shoes, one of the island’s star raw materials.

Do you need more ideas? At ROIG Rent a Car, we will be happy to guide you if you decide to rent your car in Majorca with us. We are waiting for you!