Gastronomic differences between the West and East of Menorca (I)

Bep Al·lès / Ciutadella – Although there are only a little more than 45 kilometres separating Ciutadella from Maó, there are a good number of differences between one part of the island and the other, even in the gastronomic lexicon, the way of preparing the dishes or the dishes and preparations that are the protagonists of the celebrations.

One of the main ones is in the pronunciation of the letter “E”, which some pronounce gravely and others unstressed, which makes for example the name of the pastisset and the fact that in the Levante part they make a grave é, it is said that this old Menorcan sweet receives this name because it has seven points, something that is not maintained, because depending on the mould used the pastisset can have 5 or 7 points, as well as we will find 6 and 8 points. If we follow the Levante theory, in Ciutadella they could say that it is because it makes you thirsty.

Pastisset is the diminutive of pastís de conserva, an almost lost preparation that was a cake filled with preserves or fig jam, cylindrical in shape, made with the same paste and fillings as pastissets, and also sugared on top and cut into portions.

Speaking of sugar, we also find differences between Levante and Poniente of the island. In Levante, powdered sugar is called floreti, which possibly comes from being the flower of the sugar, the finest part, while in Ciutadella they call it fine sugar or luster sugar.

Continuing with the world of confectionery and pastry, we also find differences in the name and also the preparation of what were previously called Cocas de la Virgen de Gracia or de San Juan, for example, which were renamed Cocas bambas, except in Ciutadella where at the end of the 19th century these half-orange-shaped cocas took on a curled shape and became known as ensaimadas de San Juan. Possibly this name was given to them by the aristocrat Josepa Rossinyol.

Now these are called cocas bambas, ensaimadas menorquinas and ensaimadas of San Juan, and the way of making them also varies between those who call them cocas bambas or ensaimadas menorquinas, who use lard as fat, while in Ciutadella the ensaimadas de San Juan are made with cooked butter.