The Mallorcan celler: tradition and typical Mallorcan cuisine
If you’re visiting Mallorca and want to discover the island’s most authentic cuisine, there’s one place you really ought to visit if you’re a food lover: the Mallorcan celler. These old establishments, originally linked to wine, have over time become veritable temples of traditional Mallorcan cuisine.
What does the word ‘celler’ mean?
The origin of the word ‘celler’ is quite clear, as it comes from the Latin ‘cellarium’, meaning storeroom or pantry. Wine was undoubtedly one of the items stored in the cellarium, which is why in some languages the word has come to be associated with wine. In English, ‘cellar’ means just that: a storeroom or wine cellar. And in Mallorcan, a ‘celler’ can mean two things: a wine cellar, or a typical restaurant on the island.
The ancient wine cellars of Mallorca
It seems it was the Romans who introduced vine cultivation to Mallorca, and, naturally, wine-making. We are looking back more than 2,000 years, as it was the Roman statesman and general Quintus Caecilius Metellus who, in 123 BC, began the conquest of the Balearic Islands.
Much later, after the Islamic period, vineyards and wine experienced a resurgence, and by the 14th century the first wine cellars were documented. They belonged to the king and the Church, and there are references to them in Palma, Inca and Alcudia. In the following centuries, the 15th and 16th, Felanitx is also mentioned as an important town for wine production. It was from the 17th century onwards that vine cultivation began to spread significantly across the island. From then until the present day there have been ups and downs, and there are currently more than 80 registered wineries.
How did the ‘celler-restaurants’ come about?
Living in Mallorca, it’s common to have friends and acquaintances visiting the island. And the question always arises: where should I take them? How can I entertain them?
Well, apart from the usual tourist attractions, one of my favourite options is to visit a traditional Mallorcan ‘celler’. People usually love it, both the atmosphere and the traditional food, which is no longer so easy to find in many of the island’s restaurants.
The Mallorcan wine cellar is usually located in the lower part of a building, accessed via a few steps. This ensures that when it’s hot, the temperature is always cooler than at street level. The atmosphere is traditional and somewhat rustic. The dining area is surrounded by circular wine barrels, known as ‘botas congrenyades’, made from holm oak and wild olive wood. They are large—very large indeed—with a capacity of between 1,500 and 4,000 litres, and are placed on stone blocks to prevent them from moving.
This is where the wine was stored and dispensed, for sale to anyone who came to buy it with their own demijohns. Taking advantage of the influx of customers, some meals were also offered. Gradually, the food business grew and the sale of bulk wine declined, so the cellars were eventually converted into restaurants.
What do you eat at a Mallorcan wine cellar?
Mainly traditional Mallorcan dishes: Mallorcan soups, tumbet, frito de matanzas, pork loin with cabbage, sobrasada, snails, suckling pig, gató with almond ice cream…
Some famous cellars in Mallorca
The best-known ones can be found in Palma, or in some inland villages such as Inca, Petra or Sineu. Among the island’s most famous are Celler Sa Premsa in Palma and Celler Can Ripoll in Inca.
Many of the traditional dishes that can still be enjoyed today in a Mallorcan celler form part of the island’s authentic culinary culture. Products such as sobrasada, Mallorcan wines and local herbs continue to keep this tradition alive.
The snails and a very traditional dish in Mallorca, andt you shouldn’t loose the opportunity to taste. Our previous post talks about it. Visit our post about the snails with “all i oli”: Snails with all i oli
Discover the best sobrasada and other gourmet products from Mallorca in our online-shop : Best gourmet products from Mallorca
