A perfect week of R &R in Mallorca thanks to my friend Heti. We have known each other since my long-ago days in Stuttgart, Germany.
Heti invited me to join her and daughter Kathryn at her fabulous home near Mallorca’s capital, Palma.
I needed recup time following intestinal surgery in August. And, as travel is in my DNA, I needed a trip to boost my morale. This was the answer
I saw just a tiny part of the island. The beaches are grand, but I was in awe of its mountains. Thanks to a ride on the vintage wooden train from Palma to Soller, I got a taste of spectacular Mallorcan highlands. Sadly the weather was not always the best for photos , or my window was on the wrong side of the train.
Soller, the destination of the slow but scenic ride, is a lovely town surrounded by the Tramuntana mountain range. The central square dominated by its grandiose church was packed with train tourists.
We followed the advice of Chat GPT to a restaurant away from the masses where we tried the mushroom tasting menu, which, in addition to mushrooms, offered the famous black Iberian pork. Unfortuntely we found neither the mushrooms nor the pork that sensational. But, the spot was soothingly quiet with mountain views.
We learned more about that pork during a Palma food tour. Pigs are serious business in Spain. Black Iberian pig is a certified designation for pigs, normally black –although some gradations of black are acceptable –who eat only acorns from 1 October to 15 December. To be certified as pure Iberia pork, both the pig’s mother and father must be of the same black Iberian race.
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We followed the guide through central Palma from tasting to tasting. More than food, we got a taste of this dynamic city.
Heti became co-owner of the spacious modern home last winter. An agency manages co-ownership among eight different parties, unknown to one another. Each is entitled to a specified number of weeks in the home each year.
The heated salt water lap pool is over the top. Heti is a dedicated water-jogger. She’s in the pool several times per day – before breakfast, in the afternoon and often again in the evening. I am a lap swimmer but was not yet back in shape for lap sessions. I did swim in the pool, however, as well as at a nearby beach.
When not in the pool, Heti is likely to be busy with food prep. She enjoys cooking and is addicted to Thermomix, a multifunctional kitchen appliance that weighs, chops, blends, kneads, steams and cooks. Her Mallorca home has the latest high-tech model of the machine, just like the one she has at home in Germany.
The luxurious home is in a quiet, pleasant neighbourhood — great for walks with popular spots for sunset photos .
I felt renewed. Mallorca was the best cure. Thank you, Heti.
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Today’s Taste. I have been neglecting recipes lately. No new recipe, but one from the past and just in time for Thanksgiving, HELEN’S BRANDIED SWEET POTATOES . For more tasty recipes, click here.
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