Palma de Majorca

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Palma de MaJordan is a beautiful island and I hope to come back someday to explore the City but today we are off to learn how to make Paella. Unfortunately ML is not feeling well but tropper that she is she persisted. It is a shame because this is the one tour she really was looking forward to. Our first stop is the market to buy our ingredients. Like most markets of Europe it was a feast for the eyes. Large, immaculate, with fresh meat, fish, veggies and fruit, it really stimulated the taste buds. Everything is locally grown except for the tropical fruits. You can buy herbs and spices and prepared meals as well. Cooking utensils and pans and pots and aprons, whatever you need for the kitchen is available here.

We watched the meat cutters prepare our chicken, pork and rabbit for the pot, then headed to the fish monger for squid, shrimp, and mussels. Then it was to the veggie stall for parsley, onion, tomatoes and red pepper. From there we headed to a beautiful hacienda to cook.



Actually we didn’t do the cooking but we did supervise while drinking champagne or wine and eating cheese and local appetizers on the terrace where the tables were set. This was not a buffet but a wonderful sit down meal with champagne, wine of water, a fresh garden salad, Paella and roasted sucking pig and a wonderful Spanish desert served with almond ice cream. What a feast.



When we got back, MaryLou went to the doctor and was quarantined for 24 hours with the flu. She was running a temp of 102. Tomorrow is a sea day so the only thing she will be missing is her chance to win the slots tournament and bingo, two of her favorite things. Bummer.



de Mallorca is a beautiful island and I hope to come back someday to explore the City but today we are off to learn how to make Paella. Unfortunately ML is not feeling well but trapper that she is she persisted. It is a shame because this is the one tour she really was looking forward to. Our first stop is the market to buy our ingredients. Like most markets of Europe it was a feast for the eyes. Large, immaculate, with fresh meat, fish, veggies and fruit, it really stimulated the taste buds. Everything is locally grown except for the tropical fruits. You can buy herbs and spices and prepared meals as well. Cooking utensils and pans and pots and aprons, whatever you need for the kitchen is available here.

We watched the meat cutters prepare our chicken, pork and rabbit for the pot, then headed to the fish monger for squid, shrimp, and mussels. Then it was to the veggie stall for parsley, onion, tomatoes and red pepper. From there we headed to a beautiful hacienda to cook.



Actually we didn’t do the cooking but we did supervise while drinking champagne or wine and eating cheese and local appetizers on the terrace where the tables were set. This was not a buffet but a wonderful sit down meal with champagne, wine or water, a fresh garden salad, Paella and roasted sucking pig and a wonderful Spanish desert served with almond ice cream. What a feast.



When we got back, MaryLou went to the doctor and was quarantined for 24 hours with the flu. She was running a temp of 102. Tomorrow is a sea day so the only thing she will be missing is her chance to win the slots tournament and bingo, two of her favorite things. Bummer.





I began to feel a bit poorly. Our next port is Corsica but ML will no be going ashore and the way I feel, neither will I. Shore excursions was gracious to refund our tickets. We pretty much stayed in the cabin, read and relaxed and slept a lot. The next port is Livorno, gateway to Florence, Sienna, the Cinque Terra and Pisa and Luca. It will be a long day, over nine hours so ML bagged it but I returned to Luca.

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Photos

The beautiful market
Every piece cut to order.

The hacienda
Welcome to our modest home

Making Paella
Head and Assistant cooks.

The result
Delicious.