When my 3year old son runs to me plaintively to announce that his friend says he likes to eat cats, the meaning of the word gató becomes more and more obvious to me. Gató de Almendra is the great cake of Mallorca. The ingredients are simple, not spectacular, eggs, sugar and ground almonds, maybe some lemon rub but nothing else. So simple and yet so delicious. A synonym for Mallorca, which turns into a sea of flowers from late January to mid-March. Colorful, fragrant and a feast for everyone’s eyes.
The almond is an essential product for the Balearic Island. Due to the diverse microclimates, there are about 120 different almond tree varieties. Those that grow on the coast are different than those found in the middle of the island or the mountains. We are talking about 7 million almond trees. However, recurring fungus plagues since 2008 have severely shaken almond farmers.
Fortunately, the fascination of the almond blossom has spread quickly, and consequently, there is significant interest, especially in the almond blossom, to travel to Mallorca. Local companies have set themselves the task of marketing the Mallorcan almond. Products such as perfume with a real almond blossom in the bottle – Flor d`Ametler, soaps, oils, cheeses, creams, pastries, pure almonds or Almonds covered with gold dust, yes, the range is infinite. Almonds are high in vitamin E and shine with ingredients such as iron, zinc and magnesium. As a snack, almonds are simply perfect and even have a positive effect on our figure, as studies have revealed.
The history of the almond in Mallorca dates back to the 10th century when the Moors brought the almond tree to Mallorca. But only around 1870, when the phylloxera plague forced the winegrowers to look for alternatives, the almond production started to emerge.
Especially in the Tramuntana mountains as well as around the villages of Marratxí, Bunyola, Santa María, Sencelles, Lloseta and Selva but also in the east of the island around Manacor, San Llorenc and Son Servera you can admire the almond blossom.
Be sure to note: On February 4, the annual almond fair takes place in Son Servera (Fira del almendra). Start is 9: 30h at Ca S’Hereu, a historic mansion, which dates back to the 13th century and is nestled in a quiet oil tree grove providing the perfect space for appreciating the oval fruit.
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