Spain Delicious Summer Fruits

Apricot Time in Mallorca

June marks the height of the apricot harvest in Mallorca, and sampling some of the fresh fruit is one of the joys of this time of year. Because the feast day for St. Anthony of Padua falls June 13, this patron saint of lost items is sometimes called St. Anthony of Apricots.

Besides being enjoyed fresh and raw, Mallorcan apricots make a prized ingredient or accompaniment in various sweets—not least those delectable island pastries called ensaimadas as well as the airy apricot cake known as Coca de Albaricoques, definitely one of the quintessential delights of apricot season. The dried fruit, called orejones, shows up in more than a few dishes: It’s often incorporated into turron, for instance.

Other Summer Fruits

At one point in time, Mallorca was among the world’s leading producers of figs. While that crop has waned a bit from its heyday, the heavenly flavor of island-grown figs is still most definitely a part of the culinary calendar. The season crescendos into late summer. As with apricots, you can enjoy ripe figs in any number of ways: fresh and unadulterated, made into jams and sauces, and baked into all manner of treats.

On the subject of figs, we’d be remiss not mentioning the Son Mut Nou Finca in Llucmajor, where Montserrat Pons grows literally hundreds of varieties from the Balearics and all over the world. There’s nothing quite like it anywhere else.

Late summer also means Mallorcan melons of various sorts are ripening. The village of Villafranca de Bonany celebrates a Melon Festival in September to mark the harvest: This lively fair includes melon contests and lanterns made from the fruit.

You’ll also find a wide variety of other fruits prospering in Mallorca’s Mediterranean climate: plums, pears, and more.

From apricot cake to a fresh-picked fig, summer sure tastes good in Mallorca! Come experience the flavor with us at Hoposa.