Discover the Terragust Farm-to-plate Experience in Mallorca

November 16, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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A Terragust cap was useful for shading us from the very warm autumn sunshine

If finding unique gastronomic experiences in Mallorca is something you enjoy, you’ll love Terragust. Their experiences – uniting agriculture and gastronomy – take place in the fertile agricultural land just outside the town of Manacor, where the company Terracor grows its fresh produce. (Terracor and Terragust are sister companies).

Before the event, the Terragust organizers had sent us a Google map, which directed us one Saturday morning at 11.30 to an orchard, at the end of a long country lane. We knew we’d found the right place when we saw a group of people standing chatting.

The Land and the Produce

Our two Terragust guides were farmers Matias Adrover Sitger, who owns the orchard (and other agricultural land in the Manacor area) and Pere Lluis Julia Vicens (who speaks English and German as well as castellano and mallorquín). These two friendly and land-dedicated Mallorcans handed each member of the group a Terragust-branded cap and cloth bag – instructing us to use the latter to help ourselves to as much fresh produce as we liked as we walked through the pomegranate orchard in front of us.

In the middle of the orchard, a table had been set up with a variety of pomegranates – whole and halved – along with dishes of the fruit. A bowl of the jewel-like arils from each one enabled us each to taste the difference between the varieties – something you really only appreciate when you can compare them in this way. Our guides pointed out the trees for each variety so we could collect the ones we liked.

Matias (left) & Pere explain about their Terracor pomegranates
Beautiful pomegranates
Comparing the taste of different pomegranates

A little further into the orchard, we stopped at another table, on which there were different types of melon – including a pale-skinned variety known as Sineu (named after the Mallorcan town) or melon blanc – and some varieties of Terracor’s salad greens recently plucked from another field. We were able to taste the different melons and the lettuces – which were nothing like the bland-tasting salad greens found in a supermarket.

Having learnt something about these fresh products, we were then free to collect what we wanted before we set off – driving in convoy – to our next location, a place where voluptuous bunches of table grapes hung from tall vines. The journey was short and as we emerged from our cars, Matias had already picked a huge bunch of black grapes, hanging from the vines, and was passing grapes around for us all to try. They were probably the most delicious grapes I’d ever tasted.

And So to Lunch

A long table was set up and ready for lunch between the vines. It looked impossibly romantic – like something from one of those movies set in the Mediterranean. Before we sat down, we had a glass of wine and helped ourselves to the plates of snacks on offer. We were a mixed group of Germans, Spanish and Mallorcans, and us, the only two English people. Nevertheless, the conversation flowed and I was fortunate enough to sit next to Pere, who told us he he’d been privately educated and had lived and worked in Switzerland before deciding to return to Mallorca and his rural roots.

We were treated to a five-course menu, incorporating Terracor produce, created by the Mallorcan chef Biel Llull Galmés – nicknamed ‘Cornet’ (a type of sea snail, apparently – not something topped with a scoop of ice cream!). Still aged under 30, this Manacor-born chef previously worked at the former Molí d’en Bou (which had a Michelin star) and in Manacor’s acclaimed Can March restaurant.

Lunch included delicious ‘xeixa’ wheat bread which Biel had made in the small hours of that morning and delicious wines from local bodega Miquel Gelabert. I’ve included below a couple of photos of the dishes we ate for lunch.

Biel worked in the mobile Terragust kitchen and plated up outside, as the weather was good. Lunch was delicious and I wasn’t too surprised to see that a few additional people joined us at the table. You don’t have to do the full Terragust experience to have lunch (or, in the summer, dinner); you can just come to have a meal in a memorable setting that’s very different from a restaurant. Lunch with wine, water, and coffee costs a very reasonable 40€.

The menu in English
‘Cornet’s delicious home-made xeixa wheat bread
Chef ‘Cornet’. Real name Biel Llull Galmes
Alfresco lunch amidst vines growing table grapes
Low-temperature cooked free-range chicken with pumpkin puree and spiced couscous
‘Greoxonera’ of cottage cheese with pomegranate
The Terragust team after lunch
Local wines from Miquel Gelabert

Matias and Pere would like us all to be able to find fresh produce for sale at its moment of peak ripeness. It’s not something you’ll find in supermarket produce which, they claim, supermarkets require to be harvested and delivered before it’s at that point.

And Finally …

If you’re interested in finding out more about seasonal fresh produce, would like to taste zero-kilometre produce at peak perfection, and discover a different form of rural tourism in Mallorca, I am pleased to recommend the Terragust experience. They offer these several times a week and, during the summer, the field tours and alfresco meal take place in the evening. 

 

2021 Update: We’ve now been to three of these events and have enjoyed them all. If you’re planning a works ‘do’ in the run up to Christmas, you may be interested to learn that Terragust now offers private dinners and events for groups of between 20 and 40 people. Email for further information: reservas@terragust.es

If you’re on Instagram and/or Facebook, follow me on eatdrinksleepmallorca.  

Jan Edwards ©2019

Hidden Kitchen Dinner in Mallorca Distillery

September 29, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Our Hidden Kitchen dinner table

 

Would you book and pay in advance for dinner, without knowing where and what you’d be eating? That’s just what I did when I booked seats, on the 9th of July, for the The Boss and myself for last night’s Hidden Kitchen dinner. In theory, we could have been eating anywhere in Mallorca – an island of roughly the same area as Hampshire in the UK.

If doing this sounds unusual – and perhaps a little risky – there were two reasons I knew this would become one of the memorable dining-out experiences of 2019. One: chef David Moreno – from the restaurant at the 5-star Can Simoneta hotel in the northeast resort of Canyamel – would be preparing the dinner with his team.

Two: this was a Hidden Kitchen event, organized by the Balearic gastronomic promoters, Chefs(in). These are popular dinners, for a limited number of diners. Places sell out quickly and I’d attempted to buy tickets for previous events without success. When the news of last night’s Hidden Kitchen popped up in my email inbox back in the summer, I got straight on the case and booked without delay.

What is a Hidden Kitchen dinner?

It’s a one-off dinner for 20 people, prepared by one of Mallorca’s best chefs, and served in a special location that is never a restaurant. More than 30 Hidden Kitchen dinners have taken place, with venues including a cave, museums, an artist’s studio, and even the pitch of Real Mallorca’s Son Moix football stadium!

Locations are never repeated. I couldn’t wait to find out where we would be dining – but we’d have to be patient, because we wouldn’t know until we arrived at the venue. How tantalizing is that?

We also had no idea what we would be on the menu, but having eaten Mexican chef David Moreno’s cuisine at the restaurant where he worked previously, we knew we’d love the unique dishes he’d be creating. We did know that we would share a table with the other diners. Who would they be? This is all part of the fun of a Hidden Kitchen dinner.

Clues began to arrive

Each day, from Tuesday this week until yesterday, Chefs(in) sent us an email (in both Spanish and English) containing a clue about the event. This helped to build the suspense and by the time the third clue arrived, I had an inkling that I knew where the event would take place. I was wrong.

On the day of Hidden Kitchen

Our instructions took us to the designated meeting point on the outskirts of Palma de Mallorca, where participants would park their cars and board the luxurious Transfer Class minibus that would whisk us to the venue. We were the first to arrive and soon met friendly Mallorcan couple Nelly and Gregorio, who’d been gifted their Hidden Kitchen places by (generous) friends.

When everyone had arrived, Araceli Bosch from Chefs(in) welcomed us in Spanish and English, explaining a little of what would be happening. She would travel in her own car to the venue and we’d be on the minibus.

“Do not ask the driver where you are going,” she said, smiling. “He will not tell you!”

The level of chatter on the bus rose as we set off. One of the clues had been that we had to be at least eighteen years old to go to the venue; a visiting American man, who sat across the bus from us, mused that it could be a strip club! Er, no. Chefs(in) is a class outfit.

Because I was in a window seat, I could see where we were going and, a few minutes before we arrived, I thought I knew the location – because I’d visited fairly recently to record a radio interview with the business’s British owner, Byron Holland. I don’t think anyone other than us had any idea what was beyond the doors of the place where the minibus stopped.

Mallorca Distillery

Three ‘volunteers’ from the bus were tasked with knocking on the door of the premises. This was the signal for the large garage-style door to be raised and our Hidden Kitchen location revealed. Araceli (who’d arrived by a more direct route), Byron and his wife Elena (who both joined us for dinner), chef David Moreno, his sous chef Edgar Rodríguez, and other members of their team stood waiting to greet us.

Araceli Bosch (left), Elena and Byron Holland, and David Moreno (right)
Chef David Moreno
The culinary team at work

After brief introductions by Araceli and Byron, we chose our seats at the beautifully prepared table. We were a mixed group of Mallorcan, Scandinavian, American, and British diners – some resident like us, some on holiday here. After introductions, animated conversations began immediately.

Mallorca Distillery’s Palma Gin has won several awards
A basket of this delicious bread each!
Snack starters served Mexican style!
Sea bass tiradito with mango, passion fruit and jalapeno
Spicy cod quesadilla ‘a la diabla’
Norway lobster with lime, chilli, and Palma Gin gel
Table detail
Black pork, green tomato and pickled onion
Mexican chocolate dessert: Moctezuma’s Treasure
Petits fours served in a Mexican style!

A printed copy of the menu was at each table setting, along with a surprise gift: a bottle of the award-winning Palma Gin, produced by Mallorca Distillery. The above are just some of the dishes we enjoyed.

We ate a succession of delicious dishes – many with Mexican culinary touches. Drinks were included and we started the evening with a glass of delicious organic rosado cava. Wines, a glass of sake, and a sherry were matched to the dishes by Lloseta-based wine distributors Vinamica. After a speciality coffee by Palma roasters Arabay Coffee, the evening ended with a delicious Palma Gin and tonic.

Verdict

This Hidden Kitchen dinner is one we’ll remember for a long time. The cuisine, drinks, setting, and company added up to a most convivial evening. I can highly recommend a Hidden Kitchen dinner if you are open to the idea of surprises, sharing a table with friends you haven’t yet met, and have a sense of fun and curiosity.

If you’d like to find out more about Chefs(in) and their Hidden Kitchen dinners, check out their website. 

Maybe we’ll meet you dining at a future Hidden Kitchen?

Jan Edwards ©2019

Find Your Calm at Finca Serena Mallorca

August 23, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Any ophthalmologist would approve of the 5-star rural hotel Finca Serena Mallorca. It sits on the hilltop known as Es Puig Moltó, a couple of kilometres from the small inland town of Montuïri. The panoramic views from the stone terrace in front of the main building stretch into the distance; it’s impossible to sit or stand here and not gaze out as far as the eyes can see. For those of us who spend most of our waking hours staring at screens right in front of us, it’s a rare opportunity to exercise those eye muscles. Happy eye doctor.

View from terrace of Finca Serena

Feast your eyes on the view

Finca Serena occupies an estate of forty hectares, in the agricultural part of Mallorca known as the Pla. Previously the location of an agroturismo named Es Puig Moltó, the new owner redeveloped the property into this 5-star adults-only hotel and spa – opened on April 15th this year. The estate has a much longer history: after King Jaime I’s Reconquest of Mallorca in 1229, he gifted it to one of his Catalan knights, who farmed here.

About Finca Serena hotel

By the time we’d passed through the estate’s gates and driven up to the car park, someone from the hotel’s reception was waiting to greet us and assist with our luggage.

Beautiful pool, beautiful views
The main building viewed from the front terrace
These holes would have been feeding stations for animals
Imagine a fire blazing in this lounge in winter
Four varieties of grapevines have been planted
The promenade of Jacaranda trees that give their name to the restaurant
One of many robins to spot at Finca Serena!

Check-in formalities were completed whilst we had a welcome chilled drink on the terrace – marvelling at the view. We noted the large swimming pool and terrace below, accessed by either a stone staircase or a ramped path.

Soon we were accompanying a member of the reception team to room 16 – ours for one night. Finca Serena’s 25 guest rooms are in six categories, and occupy eight buildings on the estate. For the ultimate in privacy and peace, Villa Serena ticks all the boxes. For those who prefer not to walk between the outlying guest rooms and the main house, a tailor-made buggy will whisk you along the estate paths.

Our Finca Serena accommodation

Our room was a Deluxe Garden room with a private terrace overlooking the well-stocked organic produce garden (where we spotted the chef selecting her vegetables for the day’s menu). The attractive room had plenty of natural light and was decorated to enhance the restful ambience of the place. Soft furnishings were made from cotton and linen in muted shades. A straw basket was provided – useful for carrying ‘stuff’ down to the pool – along with two towels to use after swimming.

Part of our terrace, looking out to the organic-produce garden
These wooden chairs on our terrace were surprisingly comfortable
Comfort and calm in our Deluxe Garden room
Organic produce from the garden to the kitchen: 0km

Everything we could possibly need – including a Bluetooth speaker – was provided. We chose to listen to the sounds of nature and the breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, sitting on our terrace.

Finca Serena’s logo includes the robin: the hotel director told us these birds are found all over the finca. You’re most likely to spot these feathered friends in the cooler months.

Leisure facilities

Using the large outdoor swimming pool in the heat of summer was blissful, but I think Finca Serena also has excellent potential for a restorative break during the cooler months. As well as the spa (with heated indoor pool, sauna, hammam, well-equipped gym, yoga room, and treatments), the estate has four walking/running routes of various lengths, through woods and fields of crops. I could happily stay several nights here and not leave this haven of tranquillity; everything I’d need is already there.

Anyone for a spot of yoga by the pool?
There’s a variety of seating around the pool
Step out to enjoy the countryside around the hotel on one of the marked routes

Explore the estate (a handy map is provided on check-in) and you’ll discover the recently planted vineyards (ten hectares of four local grape varieties). Three years from now, Finca Serena will have its first harvest and produce its own wines. But don’t wait that long to discover the benefits of finding serenity – and exercising those eye muscles – at Finca Serena Mallorca.

Good to know:

  • Stilettos are not the best footwear for walking on the authentic stone terraces of the hotel.
  • Remember your walking/running shoes if you want to explore the 40-hectare estate.
  • Finca Serena is part of Único Hotels, which has properties in Madrid, Barcelona and the Costa Brava.
  • Finca Serena is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Mr & Mrs Smith.
  • There’s a small shop here where items for sale include bottles of Finca Serena’s own extra virgin olive oil.
  • August 24th is the annual fiesta for Sant Bartomeu – the patron saint of Montuïri.

Jan Edwards©2019

Review of Cova Negra Restaurant in Capdepera

August 6, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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A chef with experience of working in Lima’s Astrid & Gastón – often cited as Latin America’s best restaurant – is now at the helm of his own restaurant in northeast Mallorca. Valencian chef Pablo Tamarit opened Cova Negra in Capdepera in April 2019; his restaurant is within the 4-star-plus Hotel Creu de Tau – a superb renovation and conversion of a former Franciscan convent, but run independently of the hotel.

I first visited the property when it was still a construction site: the former manager of sister hotel Melbeach Hotel and Spa in nearby Canyamel took us on a tour and, as we picked our way through rubble and around scaffolding, it was obvious that this would become an impressive hotel. Hotel Creu de Tau and Cova Negra opened in spring this year and we visited the restaurant for dinner last week.

Chef/patron Pablo Tamarit

Pablo Tamarit

Pablo originally studied business in Castellón but changed course, moving to hotel school in Valencia. After his studies he worked for some 18 months at Restaurante Envero in Valencia, with ex-El Bulli chef Tomas Garcia. He came to Mallorca to work at Can Simoneta, the 5-star coastal hotel in Canyamel, where he worked for 12 years – becoming head chef in 2010.

Working in a seasonal hotel enabled Pablo to travel and gain more culinary experience during the winter and, in 2013, he joined the famous Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio in the kitchen of Astrid & Gastón. You’ll find some Peruvian influences in Pablo’s cuisine.

The restaurant

Exterior view of Cova Negra from the car park
As you enter…
Twilight views of the beautiful Mallorcan Llevant hills
Part of the large terrace at Cova Negra
The sign to look out for…
A tasteful conversion of the convent’s former chapel

Many of the original architectural features of the building were restored and retained as part of the convent’s conversion. The smart bar reveals its history as the convent’s former chapel; have a drink here or on the bar’s terrace. One wonders what the former Mother Superior would think about this!

The most striking features of the dining room are the gothic arches along the length of the dining room and large windows with views out to the hills. There’s plenty of space between tables and, for even more privacy, a tucked-away private dining room. The restaurant extends onto a large covered terrace, where you eat at cloth-covered tables with restful long views.

Cova Negra has a Mediterranean concept at lunchtime, with an à la carte menu of starters, grilled dishes and, of course (Pablo being from Valencia), paellas. The dinner concept is gastronomic with a very tempting à la carte menu, including a starter of lobster four ways, fish of the day, and Rossini tenderloin of Simmental beef.

Unable to choose from so many tempting dishes, we opted for the tasting menu (65€): seven dishes showcasing Pablo Tamarit’s culinary techniques and creativity. This menu can be accompanied by sommelier and front-of-house manager Ildara Bajo’s wine pairing for 45€. We didn’t indulge because of the drive home, but next time maybe we’ll stay the night and take advantage of the wines.

To start, we had two types of bread (rye and herbed focaccia), truffled beetroot butter, salt, and Aubocassa extra virgin olive oil.

The cuisine

Here are pictures of the dishes we ate. I haven’t given full details of each one – just a hint of what you could experience.

 

A trio of snacks – including a rich tasty lobster broth (right) started our tasting-menu dinner.
I’m always happy to have scallops. These had some Peruvian touches
Tasty taco topped with Idiazabal cheese and aged beef
Red rice with crispy fried octopus and asparagus – a big hit with me
Perfectly roasted monkfish on black beans cooked in coconut milk. Soooo good.
Slow-cooked off-the-bone rib of Angus with parsnip puree. The Boss’s favourite dish
Yogurt ice cream, sponge, kefir foam and yuzu gel

Each dish was explained by the friendly and efficient service-team member who brought it to the table. The kitchen has some attractive plates and bowls on which to present the food and I found myself peering underneath a few of them to see who the manufacturer was!

As always, when we have a tasting menu, we discussed our favourite dishes. I found it hard to choose an overall favourite, as I really enjoyed them all – but eating the tasty taco with fingers proved a little messy. Thank heavens for the hot towel provided beforehand! The Boss’s favourite was the beef; it was delicious.

Although we didn’t drink wine, I checked out the wine list. Cova Negra offers some good Mallorcan wines, including some from the DO Pla i Llevant (Capdepera is in the Llevant hills). Others are from the Peninsula, France, and California. Bottle prices start at 28€, although there is one at 26€.

In summary…

Eating at Cova Negra in Capdepera is an experience we’re sure to repeat and I hope we’ll go for lunch soon to try out a paella made by Pablo Tamarit; as he’s from Valencia (home of authentic paella), I’m pretty sure it’ll be worth the drive to this beautiful northeast corner of Mallorca.

Good to know:

  • Anyone who can’t manage the steps up to the restaurant entrance can access Cova Negra using the elevator at the hotel entrance.
  • This is an adults-only (14+) establishment.
  • Cova Negra is easy to find in Capdepera and shares the hotel’s adjacent large free private car park.

Prices correct at time of writing.

Open daily: 13:00-15:30h & 19:30-22:30h

Jan Edwards©2019

Pop-up Dinner at Bodega Conde de Suyrot, Mallorca

July 11, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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A fine start to the evening

Pop-up dinners have great appeal for me – as you may have read in previous posts on this blog. Dinner in a winery on Mallorca? Don’t mind if I do; so we did.

The winery in question was the French-owned Bodega Conde de Suyrot in Colònia de Sant Pere, not far from Artà. We’re big fans of their wines, so the prospect of a wine-paired dinner – with food courtesy of Santi Taura Events – was not to be missed. Santi Taura, if you don’t know, is a talented chef from Lloseta (near Inca), whose eponymous restaurant there has been known to have one of the longest waiting lists for a table in the whole of Spain. He also has a weeknight cooking show on the Mallorcan TV station IB3.

Our favourite sunset spot

Bodega Conde de Suyrot is housed in a former stable block and has a huge terrace, which is ideal for a variety of events. This terrace has stunning views over vineyards to the Bay of Alcúdia and the Tramuntana mountains beyond. On the coastline, Colònia de Sant Pere offers spectacular sunset views; Bodega Conde de Suyrot’s views are even better, as the winery is on a hillside.

Pretty sight on arrival at Bodega Conde de Suyrot
Conde Fabrice de Suyrot gave a welcome – with our first glass of wine
Tables on the terrace
Sunset from the terrace of Bodega Conde de Suyrot

Dinner last Friday was on this terrace. In some pop-up dinner events, diners share a long table but, for this one, tables and chairs were set out in the style of a restaurant terrace. Two front-of-house members of Santi’s team looked after us well and the wine flowed generously.

The menu

Appetizers: Cold soup of Mallorcan almonds, Croquette of the day, Vegetable coca with smoked sardine

Wine: 2018 Conde Blanco

Starter: Cannelloni of meat-stuffed aubergine with sauce

Wine: 2018 Es Cap Roig

Main course: Sea bass cooked en papillote with curried vegetables and aromatic herbs

Wine: 2018 Es Mussol

Dessert: Chocolate, coffee, Baileys

Wine: 2017 Sa Llebre

Santi’s excellent bread was served with oil and salt. A second basket was even provided.
Cold Mallorcan almond soup
A croquette each – delicious
Coca – the Mallorcan equivalent of pizza, but much healthier
Aubergine cannelloni stuffed with meat
Seabass cooked in a cellophane ‘papillote’ with curried vegetables
All the good things – chocolate, coffee, and Baileys – in one dessert

The food was delicious and we appreciated the Conde de Suyrot wine pairings. I must admit that I was a teeny bit disappointed not to see Santi himself at the event but he has a fantastic culinary team who did him and themselves proud.

If you like the look of this dinner – a combination of Bodega Conde de Suyrot wines, the cuisine and service of Santi Taura Events, and nature’s sunset spectacle – another pop-up dinner is scheduled for Friday, August the 16th. For more details, or to book, email af@condedesuyrot.com.

Santi recently closed his restaurants (Santi Taura and DINS Santi Taura), which shared premises in Lloseta and is set to open DINS Santi Taura in Palma very soon, within the new El Llorenç Hotel. He is also about to open Cor Barra i Taula in Palma, which will offer drinks and a simpler style of food. He also has GUST by Santi Taura on the coastal strip in Playa de Muro.

Jan Edwards ©2019

Mallorca-based British Chef Marc Fosh Launches First Cookbook

June 30, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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London-born chef and restaurateur Marc Fosh’s contribution to the vibrant gastronomic scene in Mallorca cannot be overstated. More than half-a-dozen young chefs who have worked under his tutelage have subsequently opened their own successful restaurants on the island. His teaching and mentoring skills can be in no doubt.

I first discovered Marc’s food when he ran the kitchen at the former Bacchus restaurant, at what used to be Reads Hotel. It became our go-to place for a Michelin-starred dinner and overnight stay for special celebrations. After Marc left Bacchus in 2009 to open his own restaurant in Palma de Mallorca, the hotel was never the same for us.

The only British chef in Spain at a Michelin-starred restaurant

Marc Fosh restaurant in Palma is one of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Mallorca’s capital; the other is owned by chef Adrián Quetglas (who coincidentally used to work for Marc). Fosh is still the only British chef in Spain leading a Michelin-starred kitchen. He also has a catering company (Fosh Catering) and a farm (yes, Fosh Farm) cultivating some of the produce for his kitchens.

This modest chef has now added published author to his talents:  His first cookbook (in English) has been launched in Spain and has its UK launch on July 9th. Entitled Modern Mediterranean – Sun-drenched recipes from Mallorca and beyond, the book reads like a love letter to the produce and food producers of Marc’s adopted island.

Marc Fosh restaurant recently hosted a book signing, combined with a tasting of wines from 3.10 Celler.

On sale at Marc Fosh restaurant
Marc Fosh signs copies of his book
Marc Fosh with Reg Ward from Selva Vins
Adrian Quetglas and his wife
Nacho Cordero and his partner from 3.10 Celler

In his book, Marc shares recipes for eighteen of his favourite ingredients, which include almonds, lamb, lemons, olive oil, saffron, tomatoes, and chocolate. Each key ingredient has its own chapter of recipes, preceded by an informative introduction. The book is crammed with gorgeous photos by the multi-award-winning Palma-based photographer Nando Esteva. The publishers originally wanted to use a UK-based stylist and photographer but Marc insisted on using Nando – who has worked with Marc for many years.

Putting recipes to the test

When my review copy arrived from the London publishers, I invited two people – a professional cook and a reluctant cook – to choose and try one of his recipes and review it for my radio show Table Talk (edition 60) on Mallorca Sunshine Radio; (click the link to hear their reviews).

My professional tester Sandra van Oorschot is the cooking half of the business Captain Cook Culinary Sailing Tours. Sandra made and loved Marc’s Mediterranean Spiced Lamb Stew with Apricots and Coriander. This friendly Dutch woman is an excellent cook and if you love good home-cooked food (and well-chosen Mallorcan wines) and would like to combine it with a sailing trip, offering a different perspective of Mallorca, I can highly recommend a trip out with Captain Cook (which, unlike some other charters operating in Balearic waters, is fully legal and therefore suitably insured).

After browsing through the review copy I received from the London publishers, The Boss was so enthused by the book that he offered to cook Pomegranate-marinated Leg of Lamb. This was Quite Something, as he is a reluctant cook – unless a BBQ is involved. He followed the instructions carefully but, instead of cooking the lamb in the oven, he chose to adapt the heat settings and timing for our Weber BBQ. Fingers were crossed (by both of us), but I’m pleased to report that the dish was delicious and is now in The Boss’s outdoor-cooking repertoire. Thank you, Marc!

Unlike some Michelin-starred cuisine, Marc Fosh’s is based on simplicity. His techniques bring out the flavour of the prime ingredients he uses. His recipes seem accurate and the instructions easy to follow. Now I just need to work a bit on my plating skills…

Modern Mediterranean – Sun-drenched recipes from Mallorca and beyond (Nourish) is available to buy at Marc Fosh restaurant in Palma (25€), from Amazon, and other outlets on Mallorca. In the UK, the book will be on sale from July 9th for £20.

Jan Edwards ©2019

Where to Find Organic Raw Chocolate in Mallorca

May 26, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.”  If that friend comes with good-quality chocolate, so much the better!

In recent years we’ve become more discerning when it comes to buying chocolate here in Mallorca and rarely buy anything made from less than 70 per cent cocoa solids. My favourite chocolate available on the island is even healthier: organic raw (and vegan) chocolate, lovingly made from bean to bar by master chocolatier Tino Wolter at Cachao in Palma de Mallorca.

Tino Wolter is the master chocolatier behind Cacaho

The story behind Cachao

Tino is a clear-skinned, healthy-looking young German who began his career as a chef in Berlin, in 2000. He worked his way up to become a chef de partie in patisserie, which increasingly involved working with chocolate. When Christine Leja, owner of the stylish group of businesses known as bconnected in Palma de Mallorca, wanted to develop a business making and selling organic raw chocolate, she asked Tino to run it. It took him more than a year to perfect the recipe and some six years for the business known as Cachao to come to fruition. As well as the recipe, Tino had to obtain all the equipment and apply for the various licences necessary.

Sourcing the beans was an important part of the process: they had to be cultivated in a sustainable and organic way and come from farmers who supply a co-operative known as Big Tree Farms in Bali. The hand-peeled beans are not roasted, to retain the raw-food antioxidants, and are simply dried and fermented.

The process

The first step in making Cachao’s chocolate is grinding the beans, in a machine that churns the beans to paste over a four-day period. This machine lives in the back room of the premises and Tino calls it his ‘animal’, because it needs a lot of attention. “I had sleepless nights at the beginning, worrying in case it stopped working,” he admits.

After four days, Tino has to temper, flavour (where appropriate), and package the chocolate. He does all this on his own: “It’s a very young business,” he explains. “I’m alone and do everything from opening the shop to producing the chocolate, to packaging and selling it.” He works long hours and I sense that he’d like to share some of his working life with a colleague, but his passion for what he does drives him. The chance of some brief conversation is one reason he likes people to come into the shop to look around and taste some samples.

Bean busy . . .
Cacao beans from sustainable farms in Bali
Attractive packaging too made from recycled paper.
Pass me a spoon!

Some of Tino’s chocolate  is flavoured with local Mallorcan products. He has a supplier in Sóller for oranges and one in Porreres for apricots. Flor de Sal (from the south of Mallorca) is another flavouring ingredient. All his chocolate contains 71 per cent cocoa solids, except one at 54 per cent (sweetened with coconut sugar and nectar) and a cacao purist’s treat at 100 per cent.

“It was important for us to know about the ingredients we use,” Tino explains. “The same applied to the packaging.” The wrappings and boxes are made from recycled paper and the stylish design by a friend complements the high-quality product. “It’s what we call the holistic way: knowing who is doing what, and how.”

Cachao’s products

In addition to chocolate bars and boxes of chocolate thins, Tino has expanded the range to include products such as chocolate-covered almonds and chocolate-covered coffee beans (sourced from the company Mistral, which roasts organic beans in the heart of Palma de Mallorca). There’s also a distilled product made in conjunction with the award-winning Mallorcan company Gin Eva in Llucmajor.

Of course, you’ll pay more for Cachao’s artisan organic raw chocolate than you would for the commercially produced stuff. But what you get is a guilt-free nutritionally dense product that’s incredibly satisfying and delicious. It’s a grown-up gourmet treat that shouldn’t be missed if you visit Palma de Mallorca.

Tino points out the chocolate bars
More of Tino’s creations at Cachao on display

Cachao’s premises are in Palma de Mallorca’s Santa Catalina’s district, facing the indoor market. It’s an attractive place with the shop at the front dedicated to sales (and samplings) of the various products. Don’t be shy! Tino will give you a warm welcome and is happy to explain the process involved in his bean-to-bar creations.

The cacao or cocoa tree is officially known as Theobroma Cacao: Theobroma being derived from the Greek for ‘food of the gods’.  Why should we mere mortals miss out on such a divine product as Cachao?

Cachao

Plaza Navegació 14

Santa Catalina

Palma de Mallorca

Order your chocolate online here.

Jan Edwards©2019

Charlie’s Kitchen Pop-up Dinner Delights Again

April 21, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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Max (left) and Piers (right) assembling the BLT dish
Piers Dawson (right) and his sous chef Max Campbell putting finishing touches to dishes. Holly is pictured in the background
Simple but effective table decoration by Holly

Sóller-based Piers Dawson is the chef behind Charlie’s Kitchen pop-up dining events. Piers, his charming wife Holly, and infant Charlie (the inspiration for the pop-up’s name) moved from London to Mallorca in 2015. Piers had travelled the world, cooking for everyone from presidents to prime ministers to pop stars, in his twelve years with the London-based catering company Alison Price.

Charlie’s arrival was a catalyst for change: the couple wanted to spend as much time as possible with their little boy. They moved to Mallorca and based themselves in Sóller, where Piers’s mother lives, to begin new cooking adventures on the island.

Since then, Piers has established himself here as a private chef, but he’s still in demand for occasional international work. Over the last winter he toured Asia for 12 days, cooking for an “amazingly talented young American singer/songwriter”. Piers (using discretion where clients are concerned) wouldn’t reveal the singer’s name, but the tour took in seven cities, including Taipei, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, and Singapore.

Another Charlie’s Kitchen

Even if hiring a private chef is the stuff of dreams (it is for me), it’s possible to enjoy Piers’s innovative cuisine at one of his Charlie’s Kitchen pop-up dinners. Until now, they’ve been held during the quieter winter months, but Piers told me recently that they may be monthly this year.

The latest Charlie’s Kitchen event was the fourth I’d attended. That’s how much I enjoy these dinners in the Sóller valley – to which it takes us just over an hour to drive from home. Piers’s amazing food, Holly’s warm hospitality, and the convivial nature of these intimate dinners make the journey worthwhile.

Our latest Charlie’s Kitchen menu

The Charlie's Kitchen menu March 30th 2019

Each dish on the menu is simply described on the menu

And this is what they looked like:

Broccoli, Ponzu, Avocado – Piers cleverly used the main broccoli stalk to accommodate these tasty mouthfuls.
A spoonful of salmon, cauliflower, and lime
Oh-so-tender Asian pork belly in crispy pastry, served in a mini steaming basket
Piers’s 5-day sourdough bread, served with his flavoured butter – so savoury and good: billed as Chicken, Umami, and Rye
This BLT was a real talking point at the table
Piers is inspired by the productive gardens of Soller. This is his edible Soller Garden
Merluza (hake), Fuet, Samphire
Pear, Blue Cheese, Walnut – in a glass
Shepherd’s Pie – but not as you know it!
A fabulous finale: Cookies, Banana and Cream

Piers came to the dining table as each dish arrived, explaining the thought process that went into it and revealing the culinary brilliance of this amiable chef.

Alternatives to single-use plastics

Two dishes, in particular, sparked a lot of interest: BLT – a crispy baked ham wafer with rocket purée, basil, and olive oil powder, perched on top of a small bottle of tomato-essence consommé flavoured with lots of basil. We drank the latter through a drinking straw made from apple pomace (the pulp left behind after the fruit has been juiced). After we’d finished the consommé, we could eat the straw too!

The next dish was entitled Soller Garden: an edible flowerpot containing baba ganoush (BBQ’d aubergine with parsley, lemon zest, tahini, and roasted garlic), and a soil made from Piers’s own beetroot sourdough: “I dried black olives and blitzed them with olive oil, then sautéed the sourdough crumbs and poured black olive oil slowly through it.” As the bread crisped, it took on the oil’s colour. Piers planted the ‘soil’ with a sesame-seed sourdough wafer, heritage carrots, cornichons, a tiny olive, teardrop pepper, and fresh asparagus. Genius.

Piers told us he had sourced the edible flowerpot and straws as alternatives to single-use plastics. If you want to find out more about these edible and other solutions, check out The Three Straws – based in Port de Sóller.

This latest Charlie’s Kitchen was yet another memorable evening. We look forward to the next one!

Find out more here about Piers Dawson, Private Chef on Mallorca.

You can hear Piers Dawson in conversation with me on ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio – edition 49 – here.

Jan Edwards ©2019

Review of Botanic Restaurant in Palma de Mallorca

April 19, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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The bar, with its mirrored ceiling, at Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden
Detail in the lounge of Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden
Glittering chandelier. Wouldn’t want to have to clean it though!
Another dining space – perfect for private dining or meetings
Another dining area in the hotel, adjacent to the bar
We ate in the library – of which this is a detail

 

When the property developer Mikael Hall bought the 16th-century manor house Can Bordoy in Palma de Mallorca, he could have converted the property into desirable city apartments. Instead, the Swedish businessman decided to turn this neglected house, in the atmospheric La Lonja quarter, into a luxurious 5-star hotel. One of the reasons behind this decision was the property’s outdoor space: it’s the largest private garden in Palma.

“If I’d made it into apartments, this garden would have been lost to the people of Palma forever,” Mikael told me when I interviewed him for ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio some weeks ago. “This garden is unique in the city. I want it to be part of Palma’s life.” Anyone can come into this garden and enjoy a coffee, tea, cold drink, or something to eat. Be warned: you may not want to leave.

The conversion project took several years and presented a number of challenges along the way. Mikael first saw the property in May 2012 and it wasn’t until late last year that Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden was finished and ready to welcome its first guests. The efforts of everyone involved in the development and operation of this stunning hotel have just been rewarded: the 24-suite Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden is included in the ‘Best New Hotels in the World Hot List’ by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Chef Andrés Benítez at Botànic

Giovanni Merello (l) and Andres Benitez (r)

Giovanni Merello and Andres Benitez at the press breakfast I attended in December

The Palma de Mallorca hotel’s restaurant Botànic opened on December 20th, 2018. It was an opening I’d been waiting for since I heard that Andrés Benítez would be the chef. Andrés was previously head chef at Tomeu Caldentey’s Michelin-starred former Bou restaurant in Sa Coma and I’ve been a big fan of his modest personality and his cuisine for several years.

Botànic is open all day to the public. Come for breakfast – at any hour during the daytime – and feast on a tempting choice of dishes, including healthy bowls, a variety of free-range egg dishes, pastries and breads, and what Andrés calls combo dishes. I’ve had (a late) breakfast here on several occasions and have developed a serious weakness for the spelt toast topped with avocado, tomato, and home-made coconut-milk cheese (who knew of such a thing?).

On Sundays, there’s a table brunch with live piano music – which we’ve yet to try. I imagine that sitting in the garden, enjoying the food, a glass of fizz, and the gentle tinkling of the piano would be an idyllic way to spend some time.

Dinner at Botànic

At night Botànic offers healthy fine dining in the form of a monthly changing 7-plate tasting menu. We went last week to try the April menu and had a table in the library, which has an intimate ambience and subtle lighting – making it perfect for romantic dinners. A printed menu gives you an idea of what is to come.

Even before the arrival of the first dish – billed as Can Bordoy snacks – high quality was evident. Our server offered crusty bread from the admirable Forn Pes de sa Palla (the bakery of Amadip Esment, a foundation offering professional training and employment for people with mental disabilities). We had this with Mallorcan flor de sal and Can Bordoy-labelled organic extra virgin olive oil made from arbequina olives by Oli Novembre, which has the Denomination of Origin Oli de Mallorca.

Here are photos of just a few of the seven dishes from the menu we had. Sweet-toothed diners will be pleased to know that there is a pre-dessert as well as dessert!

Healthy bite-sized snacks to start our dinner
Artichokes with cockles and preserved lemon
Peas, herbs, rice – and crunchy squid
The meat course featured just enough beef to appreciate the flavour and texture

In my opinion, the cost of 50€ for the 7-plate tasting menu at Botànic is excellent value, considering the quality of the food, service (Carolina from Colombia, who served us, was a delight), and the unique setting. The food is satisfying but won’t leave you feeling bloated or push your waistband to its limits.

Wine pairing optional…and recommended

If you enjoy wine, do try the optional wine pairing, for an additional 30€. We enjoyed the Italian sommelier Emiliano’s selection and his knowledge and opinions about wine make for interesting and informative snippets of conversation.

We had a different wine with each of the seven dishes – all matched, to our tastes, to perfection. They included: an elegant and crisp biodynamic Riesling (Achillée) from Alsace; Porrera, a white Garnacha from Priorat; an Albariño from Rias Baixas, and Gorgollassa from the organic winery Can Majoral in Mallorca. Our final drops were from a glass of natural sweet rosé from Selva Vins in Mallorca; this surprising wine, made from 100 per cent Merlot grapes and matured in chestnut barrels, was more red than pink and was the result of a ‘happy accident’ in the wine-making process. Thank you, Emiliano, for sharing your passion – and your wine choices.

There is a lot to admire about Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden. Being here is like visiting friends who live in a rather splendid house. Managing director Giovanni Merello is at the helm of a team that feels more like a family, devoted to offering warm hospitality and comfort to all who visit.

I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have a second home in Palma de Mallorca. Now, I think I know…

Jan Edwards ©2019

Find Your New Guide to Balearic Gastronomy

April 2, 2019
by Jan Edwards
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“Well I think that we are gradually getting closer to San Sebastián.” This was Andrés Benítez’s response when asked how he would rate Palma de Mallorca as a gastronomic destination, in comparison with the famous foodie city. Chef Andrés Benítez is at the helm of the restaurant Botànic at the 5-star Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden in Palma de Mallorca, which opened at the end of 2018.

His comment is just one of the many insights into Balearic chefs, featured in the second annual edition of the magazine Chefs(in) – published in March. It’s a treasure trove of information gleaned as a result of the close relationship between some of the Balearics’ best chefs and the organisation Chefs(in), which promotes Balearic gastronomy.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the launch event for the second edition of Chefs(in) magazine, which took place in the Teatre Municipal Mar i Terra in Palma’s Santa Catalina district.

Manuel Perez, Santi Taura, and his wife
Artist Pepe Miralles, Ca Na Toneta’s Maria Solivellas, and Miquel Gelabert from Can March.
Joan Marc Garcia with his wife
Chefs(in)’s editor Araceli Bosch talks to guests at the launch

A reference for Balearic gastronomy

I still have the first (2018) edition of Chefs(in) magazine. It’s more of a reference work to keep, than a magazine to be read and later discarded and I’m delighted now to have the second edition too. In my humble opinion, it’s essential reading for any foodie visiting (or living in) Mallorca or its sister islands Menorca and Ibiza. And the good news is that it is published in both Spanish and English.

Here are some of the highlights of the 2019 edition:

  • Interviews with chefs Ariadna Salvador, Iñigo Rodriguez, David Moreno, Cati Pieras, Joan Canals, Miquel Calent, Andrés Benítez, Marga Coll, David de Coca, Miquel Gelabert, Victor García, and well-known charcutier Xesc Reina.
  • A feature about 12 of the 65 businesses in Palma officially designated as emblematic by Palma City Council.
  • A guide to 43 of the best restaurants in Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza. In addition to the individual pages for each restaurant, there’s a quick-to-view guide to more than 30 different aspects about each one – including number of covers, frequency of menu changes, number of languages spoken, WiFi access, whether there’s a terrace, and average prices.

Once again, most of the photography in the second edition of Chefs(in) is by the multi-award-winning Mallorcan photographer Nando Esteva.

Chefs(in) is available in kiosks and newsagents across the islands and through the website http://www.chefsins.com at 10€ per copy.

Jan Edwards©2019