Ibizan cuisine could fill cookery books with the centuries-old recipes that reflect the customs and traditions of the island, all made with local produce. In this regard, each season boasts its typical recipes made with seasonal foods, and so when November comes, nuts, dried fruit and sweet desserts are the stars of the famous “sa Trencada” festival.
This is a dinner where formerly the whole family would come together on All Saints Day, sitting down together to taste a selection of nuts, dried fruit, seasonal produce and typical sweets of the island such as panellets and bunyols (doughnuts) washed down with sweet liqueur or local wines. This ritual has gradually been extended and takes place throughout the whole month as people enjoy the warmth of the hearth, as they sit by the fireplace that is still an ever present feature in so many houses on the island.
This festival arose around 1 November in Ibizan homes, where godparents presented their god children with huge baskets of candied fruits. At the end of the evening they would leave the nutshells and remains of the meal on the table. Then they would set a candle there and light it, so that if departed souls wanted to visit their living relatives, they could find their way by this light. The next day, the whole family would gather again around the table, still laid with the leftovers from the previous night, and having recited the rosary, they would eat what remained from the day before.
For many years, this historic ritual has been repeated nowadays in schools or local fiestas, with various activities to keep this tradition alive, along with a celebration of the local culinary culture.
The favourite dessert of “sa Trencada” is panellet, and although its origins are unknown, this confection is often attributed to the Arabs, as almonds are its main ingredient. The traditional panellets are made with almonds or pine nuts, but thanks to their popularity, new recipes have begun to incorporate other ingredients, such as strawberry and chocolate.
The festival of “sa Trencada” is a great opportunity to taste Ibizan produce, meet up with our loved ones, and tell tales and stories in a celebration of the ancestors who return to visit us.