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If Mallorca is home to one of the oldest establishments in Europe, Can Joan de s'Aigo, which has been making delicious ice creams and quemuyars since 1700, it is because the island has a strong tradition around this product that was once only consumed in summer.
Raw almond and toasted hazelnut are the most typical flavours, but we should not forget bonbons or, in the world of drinks, aigo amb neu and almond horchata, as well as the many ways to accompany them with pastries.
'Snow' and 'aigo amb neu'
The kiosk Can Calent is located in the centre of Sa Pobla. Every day of the year, Fina opens this small place where she prepares aigo amb neu in a more modern way than her grandfather did a hundred years ago. Back then, ice creams depended on the nevaters bringing down snow from the Serra de Tramuntana and the magical mixture being made in a machine, usually made of copper. Fortunately, today everything is easier with identical results. So if you are in Sa Pobla, one of the hottest towns on the island, it is well worth visiting Can Calent and trying this creamy and refreshing lemon drink.
If Can Calent is the only place in Mallorca where aigo amb neu is made, the island is full of places where you can enjoy other traditional ice creams. There are five factories that produce them, many street ice cream shops and restaurants that make them themselves. We are mainly talking about the typical raw almond ice cream served with a plain ensaimada, which remains the quintessential snack for Mallorcans along with gató (an almond cake) with ice cream. For fieldwork, you can always go to Valldemossa and try the iconic coca de patata with ice cream, or head to Palma where, if you manage to get a table in one of the two Can Joan de s'Aigo locations, you will understand why this establishment has become a symbol of the city.
No ice cream without 'quemuyar'
The cone is relatively new. Ice cream used to be eaten on its own or accompanied by a quemuyar (something to dip). At Fornet de la Soca, they have been recovering recipes from the old stately homes of Palma, where all the varieties of pastries that accompanied hot chocolate and, in summer, ice creams appear. We are talking about popular pastries such as ensaimada, gató, coca de patata or quarto, but also others less known: cojín imperial, serafí, cubellet, congret or madritxo.
Bonbons
In addition to being a compliment, a Mallorcan bonbon is a song by Joan Miquel Oliver and one of the most typical ice creams on the island. At JOP, they have been making for 50 years, almost artisanally, the cubanito (an almond-coated vanilla ice cream), to which the bombón campaner has been added. They have also turned the traditional menorcan pomada (gin and lemonade) into ice cream. And don’t hesitate: if you want to try the only industrial ice cream with 85% Mallorcan almonds, JOP is the place.
