Month: March 2020

Contrabandistas en Mallorca
anecdotes

Smuggling in Mallorca

Smuggling in Mallorca became a major clandestine activity during the difficult post-war years of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Tobacco, coffee, sugar, medicine and other scarce goods arrived by boat from Gibraltar and North Africa, often being unloaded under cover of darkness along the island’s coast. Discover the fascinating history of Mallorca’s smugglers, how these secret networks operated and why the local expression “anar de tabac” became synonymous with the tobacco trade that shaped a remarkable chapter in Mallorca’s history.

Cómo hacer crespells
Gastronomy

How to make crespells

Discover how to make crespells, traditional Mallorcan Easter biscuits and one of the island’s most beloved seasonal treats. These delicious, shortbread-style biscuits are made with a fragrant homemade dough and cut into traditional shapes using decorative moulds. Follow this easy recipe step by step and learn how to make authentic crespells at home while discovering one of Mallorca’s sweetest Easter traditions.

Sobrasada Pied-noir
Traditions and customs

Sobrasada Pied-noir

What is the connection between Mallorcan sobrasada and the Pied-noir community of Algeria? The fascinating story of Sobrasada Pied-noir takes us from Mallorca and the Balearic Islands to Algeria and southern France. Balearic emigrants brought their culinary traditions with them, helping to establish sobrasada in Algeria, where it was even adapted using lamb instead of pork. Discover the history of Sobrasada Pied-noir, how this unique version developed and the surprising cultural journey that made sobrasada an enduring link between Mallorca, Algeria and France.

Construcc
Crafts and trades

Building with marés: the stone that shaped Mallorca

Marés stone is much more than a traditional building material: this distinctive Mallorcan sandstone has shaped the island’s architecture, landscape and heritage for centuries. Quarried across Mallorca and used to build houses, churches, walls and some of its most iconic monuments, marés can be seen in Palma Cathedral, La Lonja and Bellver Castle. Discover the fascinating history of marés stone, how it was traditionally quarried and the skilled craft of the trencadors de marés who helped shape Mallorca’s architectural identity.

The siurell: origins and tradition of the symbol of Mallorcan craftsmanship
Traditions and customs

The siurell: origins and tradition of the symbol of Mallorcan craftsmanship

The siurell is one of Mallorca’s most distinctive and recognisable traditional crafts. These small handmade clay figures, traditionally painted white with colourful red and green details and featuring a characteristic whistle, have been part of Mallorcan culture for centuries. Discover the fascinating origins of the siurell, how these unique figures are made by hand and why they have become one of the most iconic symbols of Mallorca’s traditional heritage.