I have just got back from a great break in Menorca.  The sun, relaxation and lack of work were great – as of course was the food and drink.

Staying with my cousins who know Menorca and meeting their friends, we were able to make the most of their culinary knowledge.  We had serious amounts of sea food tapas, plenty of Spanish wine and beer, and a new one on me – pomada.  Pomada seems to be what the local (and tourists in the know) drink.  It is gin (from the island distillery) with lemonade (either Fanta  lemon, or the Spanish Kass), ice and a wedge of lime, and is perfect for warm evenings on the terrace.

A highlight though has to be our visit to see my cousins’ friends Victor and Jacky.  They are ex-restaurateurs, and being from Menorca, Victor makes a mean paella.  In their garden he has his “fish kitchen” – a separate out-building with a large well equipped kitchen on one side and a dining room on the other.  I can only assume that he was banished from cooking fish in the house at some point, so in my view it is a great solution!  Victor & Jacky must have had around 18 of us over, and they created an amazing spread of food, including three separate paellas (meat, seafood and veg).  And Jacky made the most amazing chocolate brownie (a cross between brownie and fondant pudding as it was sublimely melting in the middle).  As well as that they did some great appetisers using the Sobrassada (a soft cured Menorcan sausage) and Menorcan cheese.

So thanks all for giving us such a great introduction in to Menorcan food, drink and hospitality.  ¡Muchas gracias!