A saucy side of Menorca
Verity Sulway sets out on a foodie odyssey to the most laidback of the Balearic isles
My classmates in the mayonnaise making lessons were unusual to say the least. Some kittens, a clingy chihuahua and several cows, including the haughty prize calf of Menorca 2022.
While many of us presume the French invented mayonnaise, Menorcans insist it hails from their capital, Mahon, in the 18th century.
The island was then under British rule but was conquered by Frenchman Duc de Richelieu (the fabulously named Louis François Armand de Vignerot du Plessis), in 1756, and it’s claimed his cook presented him with a sauce made from the only ingredients available – eggs and olive oil – thus creating the famous staple dressing we know today.
Spanish airline Vueling’s 2022 UK summer programme has introduced five new routes from Gatwick, including Menorca, so I packed my appetite, checked in and flew out to discover why the second largest Balearic island is the European Region of Gastronomy 2022.
My foodie odyssey began with those fascinating mayo lessons at Son Piris farm in Binillubet. Learning the skills to concoct the perfect traditional Mahon mayonnaise with that attentive resident ‘audience’ was a personal highlight for me – no more squeezy bottles off the supermarket shelves now!
Keen to catch the sunset, I headed to Cova d’en Xoroi, a cliffside bar carved out of a cave, offering panoramic views, live music and cocktails.
Walking underneath the low, rocky roof in the cave, you feel transported back to the legend which surrounds it, where a Turkish pirate named Xoroi, who escaped a shipwreck and came across the cave, took refuge and stayed for years, surviving by stealing food.
He is said to have had a family hidden inside with him, but when he was finally discovered he jumped into the sea, never to be seen again.
More sedate than its brasher Balearic sisters Majorca and Ibiza, at around 267 square miles Menorca is a similar size to Anglesey and boasts a scenic coastline, a hiking trail and a rich history marked by 13th-century buildings, Georgian mansions and prehistoric remains.
I joined a tour with enthusiastic guide Pedro, who was full of fascinating and often gory stories about the history of the island, which was controlled by the Greeks, Romans, Moors, Turks, British and French at various points, before finally becoming Spanish in 1802.
Being with a local whose family has lived in the area for 500 years certainly paid off, and Pedro took us on a brief detour to his idyllic hometown of Sant Lluís.
A guided visit to historic Ciutadella, formerly the island’s capital, allowed us to learn about its fascinating heritage and religious traditions, including the unusual Day of the Ram.
It takes place on the Sunday before the festival of Sant Joan in late June when a man wearing sheepskin carries a live ram, adorned with ribbons, through the
Knights used the hiking trail to defend their homes from pirates
streets, with locals reaching out to touch the animal for good luck. Yes, the streets are pretty rammed too.
The variety in the terrain and the enthusiasm of locals to protect its natural environment led to Menorca being declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993.
Its popular hiking trail Cami de Cavalls, which translates to ‘horse path’, dates from the 14th century and was used by knights defending their home from approaching pirates.
Well signposted, the trail, which takes 10-14 days, takes you around rugged cliffs to lush hills, with some stretches passing through ancient trenches and by old watchtowers.
We reached El Toro, the highest point in Menorca which stands at 1,175ft above sea level and features an imposing statue of Christ. Wildlife lovers also have a chance to visit the natural park and five natural reserves, or go birdwatching to look out for the peregrine falcon or red kite.
My base on Menorca was the Artiem Carlos hotel in Es Castell just outside the capital. It’s an adults-only affair perched inside a cove and overlooks the large natural harbour.
While the unusually chilly April weather ruled out a dip in the sea, the sunset view from the property was divine and it also offers guests a large pool and a spa with a Jacuzzi, sauna and on-site massage therapist. There’s an excellent breakfast buffet, offering fruit, juice, cereals and a variety of cooked options and pastries including custard-filled ensaimadas – a traditional sweetbread you absolutely must try if visiting the Balearic islands – all as sunlight floods in from the wall-toceiling windows with more of those harbour views. The food theme continued on my final day, enjoying breakfast with a view at Son Vives Agroturisme, a countryside farmhouse with accommodation set up in the hills and offering locally sourced, traditional produce. After a pit stop at Torralbenc, a rural boutique hotel and winery offering more glorious Menorcan scenery, we concluded our trip at Llatzaret, a small island in the harbour 10 minutes away from Mahon by boat.
It was used throughout the 19th century to quarantine people suspected of carrying infectious diseases and is perfectly preserved with the fortress and its buildings now used for conferences and teaching events for the Ministry of Health.
As a tourist destination, though, it remains relatively little-known but really rather good. A bit like the story of Menorcan mayonnaise…