Menorca over the recent years has really stepped up it’s mark in terms of using local produce and promoted the cooking term Slow Food perfectly placing it’s produce from the sea and land in a variety of local dishes. Restaurants are proud to advertise that the products are locally sourced.
Certain supermarkets also carry a range of locally grown and sourced products and the local markets sell many local products too. For those that are self catering there are also farm shops that offer a veg box service.
Menorca has amazing seafood, with the best known seafood dish on the island being Caldereta de Langosta a delicious lobster stew made with the spiny blue lobster caught just off the coast.
The island is well known for it’s Cheese, Sobrasada and local Gin too, just to name a few.
Mahon Cheese
Menorca has a long history of cheese making dating back 2000 years, know in Spanish as “Queso”. The milk from the local breed of cows, knows as Friesland cows, is turned into the most delicious local cheese. Due to the climate and richness of the pasture, Menorcan cheese has a very distinctive flavour. Often sold as cured and semi cured, you’ll see it on lots of restaurant menus as it’s used in many local dishes. Look out for “Queso de Mahon” on the menu.
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Visit one of the fincas that produce cheese such as Subaida who offer a tour of the production and cheese tasting in their beautiful farm surroundings, just outside Alaior.
Also nestled in the hills near Ferreries is Hotel Sant Patrici, a beautiful hotel where non residents can visit and tour the cheese factory and winery. A chance to immerse yourself in the slow pace of country life Sant Patrici.
Just outside Es Mercadal on the main ME-1 road to Mahon, is S’Arangi a small family run farm producing cows milk for their cured cheese. Follow the long farm track through the gate ad you will arrive at their Farm Shop. For opening times check out their website and you can also buy online.
Sobrasada & Cured Meats Of Menorca
The island meat producers are known for their quality and flavour. Local beef is now widely produced and often classed as a delicacy. One delicious sausage here in Menorca is the “Sobrasada” a pork sausage meat, cured and blended with with deep coloured paprika and other spices that are often held under lock and key as family secrets, past down from generation to generation. Small family farm holdings still produce the sausage in the same way today as generations gone by, as the Menorquin’s feel it’s important to keep the tradition alive.
Other types of sausage that are produced on the island are made with different cuts and likewise are cured with different herbs and spices. “Carn-i-xulla” and “Cuixot” are also worth trying. All are available to buy in slices and whole sausages in both big supermarkets and small producers that sell directly.
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A local dish often written as “Pan con sobrasada y miel” of toasted bread with local sobrasada and honey. It’s sometimes served with local melted cheese too. It is quite simply, delicious. Some of the bars and restaurants offer small “Tablas” of local meat and cheeses, giving you the option to try them all!
In local bakeries try:
- Rubiol: A mini pasty filled with tuna or sobrasda.
- Formatjades: A pork and sobrasada filled meat pie often lined with mustard.
Ensaimadas Of Menorca
For those with a sweet tooth Ensaimadas are delicious. They are a circular soft pastry dough covered in lots of icing sugar. They are sold throughout the bakeries and in many of the cafes. They are normally eaten for breakfast and are a famous sweet treat on the island. You may have seen them in a round shaped box on sale in many of the supermarkets and in duty free at the airport.
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Menorca Live Recommends: Pastisseria Can Pons, Es Mercadal
Not just the best Ensaimadas in Menorca, but they recently won the “IV Campeonato Mundial de Ensaimadas” (the world’s best Ensaimada competition) in 2020. Check out their extensive variations here: Can-pons Menu
Wine Of Menorca
There is little doubt that Menorca has a growing wine industry. From as early as the 1200’s wine was produced on the island. During the British domination in the nineteenth century production increased and at that time there was over 1.500 hectares of vineyards known locally as “Bodegas”. It went into decline with the arrival of the great wine blight “Phylloxera” which decimated the vineyards and killed off the wine industry. For many years wine was only produced for the home and not for resale. Then in 2002 Menorca was awarded certain areas for wine production Vi de la terra Illa de Menorca. This is one step below Denominación de Origin. There are now around 20 hectares and about five vineyards dedicated to wine production in Menorca.
Today the wine industry continues to flourish with many outlets to purchase local wine. Visits to “Bodegas” to sample and purchase directly from the producer, are becoming increasingly popular.
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Binifadet
In 1979 a local man, Carlos Angeles, planted his first vine on several hectares of land. What started as a hobby for friends and family, developed into a thriving business and Binifadetwas formally launched in 2004. The winery has evolved over the years and now offers tours, boasts a restaurant and even offers an event space for special occasions and weddings.
Here are some of the other wines produced on the island:
www.binifadet.com Various wines available, wine tours, restaurant and events space.
www.bodegastorralbenc.com Various wines, superb restaurant and hotel.
www.saforana.com Various wines available.
www.santpatrici.com Various wines, cheese manufacturing, hotel and restaurant.
www.vinyasacudia.com White wines available.
www.bodegasmenorquinas.com Various wines available.
www.bintord.comVarious wines available, wine tours.
Gin of Menorca
Gin has been made on the island since the 18th century in the days of the British occupation. The British Navy were missing their favourite tipple so they decided to make their own version with the Juniper Berries that grow on the island. When they left in 1802 the locals carried on making the Gin and even today it is made to the same recipe. What is unique with Xoriguer Gin is it is made from the grape and not grain. Which makes it tolerable for people with gluten intolerances. In 1997 it was given a Dominación de Origin.
TheXoriguerfactory and shop are located on the Port of Mahon and tours of the factory are available, along with some try before you buy tipples.
Xoriguer is used in the traditional drink of fiestas Pomada which is traditionally made with three parts lemon and one part gin.
There are two other brands of gin that are gaining popularity in Menorca that you can find in bars, restaurants and some shops. If you are a Gin lover they would defiantly be worth a try: www.innatgin.com and www.ginglop.com
Honey Of Menorca:
Honey, or “Miel” as the locals call it, has been produced in Menorca since the Roman times and it was written that it was one of the best in the world. During the XIV century it is rumoured that Spanish Royalty had exported it from Menorca to the mainland where it was used for food, medicinal purposes and to sweeten wine. Many of the hives throughout Menorca today are situated in caves, gorges and unspoilt countryside. The flavour is like no other you have tasted before. Many of the local shops and supermarkets sell the various local brands.
Bolets De Menorca
Bolets also know as Setas and most commonly to us as, Mushrooms. Bolets de Menorca began as a hobby, but the families interest and passion for Mushrooms developed into a business.
Many of their products are sold in various outlets throughout the island, to the restaurants and direct sales at their premises just on the outskirts of Mahon.
You can visit Bolets and take a tour of their growing sheds. They produce various types of fresh mushrooms which you can buy in a dried format or purchase one of their home growing kits.
They also offer a unique selling point to encourage you to ty them on site, a menu of “Degustación”. They don’t have a restaurant as such, but you can order sample dishes which are freshly cooked. You will definitely purchase some of their interesting mushrooms in the little shop after trying some of them!
Look out for their mushroom products in some of the local supermarkets, which include many ingredients from local producers.
Bolets also have educational guided tours and cookery workshops throughout the year. Check out their website for more information and opening time: www.boletsdemenorca.com
Other Product To Try From Menorca
Manzanilla: Menorca Chamomile, often sold in tea form and great with a spoonful of honey.
Azafrán: Menorca saffron can be bought at Isafram Menorca
Sal: Menorcan salt. Flor de Fornells available in many supermarkets that stock locally produced food.
Menorca Live Recommends:
Visit Agroxerxa Menorca a website dedicated to buying all local products online.