PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN
Having planned on spending 10 days in Palma de Mallorca and some how extended my stay to almost a month I managed to work my way through most of the foodie spots in this beautiful part of Mallorca. Food markets always seem to draw me in first and I never seem to be able to part with them, and Marcat de l’Olivar on Placa de l’Olivar was no different.
It was fairly evident from the very beginning that this market was going to be one of my top places in Palma. I happened upon Mercat de l’Olivar by complete chance during one of my first of many wandering strolls through the city. What drew me in was the hustle bustle of people bargaining and energy spilling out on to the streets from the stalls inside.
It was fairly evident from the very beginning that this market was going to be one of my top places in Palma. I happened upon Mercat de l’Olivar by complete chance during one of my first of many wandering strolls through the city. What drew me in was the hustle bustle of people bargaining and energy spilling out on to the streets from the stalls inside.
There are four wide entrances on each side of the huge building that houses this indoor market, depending on which one you enter you are greeted with a variety of different stalls and sellers. The size of the market and variety of stalls is a bit over whelming at first, but once you take your time and give yourself a chance to meander up, down and around the various different aisles the initial impact of the market settles and you can thoroughly enjoy each stall and what it has to offer.
FRUIT & VEGETABLES
For me this is a little piece of food heaven. From the moment I stepped foot in the doors I was in my element. I’ll start by attempting to describe the vast array and diversity of colours, textures and shapes on display. This was most prominent at the fruit and vegetable stalls. Here you will find delicious squash of every shape size, zebra striped in a mixture of beautiful autumnal colours. Courgettes and aubergines like I have never seen them, in purples, yellows, greens, and dark pinks. Tomatoes bigger than my hand were stacked high in pyramids of ruby red goodness. Carrots lay with their green tops perfectly manicured in beautifully tied bunches. Perfectly shiny venetian red apples lay side-by-side, glistening waiting to be snatched up. An array of colorful exotic fruits, half of which I had never seen before dazzled their audience as they strolled by. The colours and shapes of the variety of fruit and vegetables were so inviting it was extremely hard to walk away empty-handed.
MEAT, CHEESE & ANTIPASTO
Next, the meat, cheese and antipasto bits! Dry-cured Iberico pork hangs over and behind the heads of its vendors. Ranging from as little as €30 per kilo for younger pork to the more expensive dark, rich, flavorsome ham at €120 per kilo. It is sliced fresh to order, part of the perk of buying your meat at a market, you can’t beat freshly sliced Iberico ham. Behind the glistening glass counters lies an abundant array of other dried meats like Chorizo, Sobrassada, Lomo, Cecina and many more. The sellers are usually more than friendly and have no problem letting you try a slice or two of their tasty meats.
The cheese. Before this trip to Palma I really hadn’t had the palate for cheese, I always thought it was too strong, or pungent. Having spent hours and hours strolling through these food stalls I decided to rid myself of my previous experiences and try cheese once again. Although not all the cheese I tried was for me, I did find a new appreciation for the salty, creamy goodness it offered. If you are a cheese lover then you will be overly impressed with the variety of cheese on offer. There is everything from delicious Manchego, creamy Arzua – Ulloa, strong Cabrales, buttery Mahon and soft and mild Idiazabal.
One of my favourite stalls in Mercat de l’Olivar is one that sells stunning little antipasto bites. Terracotta pots are filled to the brim with garlic stuffed olives, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, peppers stuffed with feta cheese, pickled peppers, cheese soaked in olive oil, marinated sardines, pickled cornichons and so much more. I would highly recommend coming to the market early on a Saturday morning grabbing a warm fresh rustic baguette or two and filling your basket full of slices of Iberico pork, a variety of cheese and heaps of beautiful olives and spreads. There are also delicate little pastisserias selling elegant pastries, creamy desserts and fresh crunchy bread. Perfect to grab a dessert to share to end a wonderful picnic.
The day we packed up our picnic we set off in the car to the beautiful coastal town of Deia, stopping off in Valdemossa on the way. While driving from Valdemossa to Deia along the scenic winding coastal roads we happened upon the most spectacular picnic spot, Monestir de Miramar. Here we strolled through the beautiful gardens of the ancient monastery and ended up picnicking right on the side of a cliff over looking the beautiful Balearic Sea. With not a cloud in the sky or a sinner to be seen we soaked up the afternoon sun and grazed over our delicious Mediterranean style picnic. |
FISH
Now let me talk about the fish. There is a whole section devoted to fresh fish of almost every kind. Throughout the four aisles that are swamped with hundreds of fish there are a couple of my favorite counters. These counters are more like informal bars that sell freshly made tapas washed down with white, red, rose wine and selection of beers. The first of these that I always frequented was one devoted completely to smoked salmon called ‘Pink Salmon’. Here I really enjoyed the smoked salmon tartar tapas, which was, smoked salmon broken down with lemon juice and a little olive oil served on delicious dark brown bread that was spread with a creamy lemon and ricotta butter. I also loved the elegantly made smoked salmon ‘panini’ which was toasted white bread, spread with chive cream cheese, rocket lettuce and delicious slivers of fresh delicate smoked salmon. This was all usually washed down with a glass or two of cava, all for around €8!
Just a couple of stalls down from this was another favourite of mine – sushi. Here you choose your selection of fresh hand rolled sushi that awaits consumption behind a glass counter. You can sit down for as long as you like and watch the skilled sushi makers at work. They also do all their sushi to takeaway. A great and easy way to have lunch on the go or bring it home and chow down with a bottle of wine.
In the same section on the opposite side of the room you will find a counter that is very rarely empty – The Oyster Bar. Magnificent fresh oysters get shuck in front of you and are presented on a beautiful platter or on ice served with lemon and Tabasco. Have as little or as many as you like. This is a fantastic place to come with a group of friends and enjoy copious glasses of bubbles and slurp down salty oysters.
In the same section on the opposite side of the room you will find a counter that is very rarely empty – The Oyster Bar. Magnificent fresh oysters get shuck in front of you and are presented on a beautiful platter or on ice served with lemon and Tabasco. Have as little or as many as you like. This is a fantastic place to come with a group of friends and enjoy copious glasses of bubbles and slurp down salty oysters.
MEDITERRANEAN
The last two counters that I would like to mention sell gorgeous Mediterranean style food. The first is ‘d’Origen’. This stall offers a vast array of wines but the food is just as impressive. One of my favorites is an extremely thin crust salty pastry packed with sweet caramelized onions and red peppers. This is absolutely delicious served with a glass of Alberino.
And finally there is ‘365 Peceptes’, which is just around the corner from ‘d’Origen’. This was the counter I visited the most when I was looking to bring home some hearty Spanish style dinners. Here they prepare everything from scratch. Spanish tortilla, creamy fresh vegetarian and meat lasagna, Mediterranean couscous with spicy chicken, slow cooked pork cheek, meet stuffed baked aubergine and sautéed garlic green beans and broccoli all sit behind the glass counter awaiting your choice. The ladies that work there are all quite happy to let you taste anything you like before purchasing. I would highly recommend buying a couple of little dishes and preparing your own little tapas dinner at home.
There really is something for everyone in Mercat de l’Oliver. For me this was the best food market in all of Palma. Although some stalls may be a little more expensive than buying from your local supermarket, it is most definitely worth the visit to allow your eyes to feast on all the local delicious food and wine it has to offer. Even as I write this I crave the delicious plates and bites that I tasted. I will most definitely be back to enjoy all that this wonderful market offers once again.