Mallorcan Honey Fair, Llubi
Llubi is a small, unassuming town in the plains of the Pla, to the east of the Tramuntana mountain range. Surrounded by wonderful countryside, it has relied on agriculture for it's wealth for many centuries. And since the 14th and 15th centuries, honey has been a mainstay of their economy, and is now celebrated in Llubi's annual autumn fair.
The fair is held in the town square, which is lined with stalls dedicated to honey. The 'Fira de la Mel' is obviously a highlight for the village, as literally EVERYONE from the town turns out on the Sunday to have a wander and catch up with their neighbours. The bars and cafes lining the square are packed with people - it's a real social gathering. Bee keepers and honey makers from all over Mallorca & Menorca gather at this festival, and their products are entered into honey competitions, such as best dark honey, best original honey and best clear honey.
You can also try honey rum and other honey liqueurs, and if you want to try the honey before you buy it, it helps to ask the stall owners, as there were not so many samples freely available (either that or the samples were so popular, we were always to late to grab one!). Soaps, beeswax, honeycombs and honey-based wellness products are also on sale. Lots of other foods are available - homemade cakes, savoury snacks, and a whole stand devoted to free samples of sobradassa and honey served on squares of bread. We particularly enjoyed two village ladies making bunyolas (like little doughnuts) at one of the stands. With a vat of hot oil to deep fry the bunyolas, they expertly created these mini treats (using practised finger action) from a tub of batter and watched as they turned golden brown before removing and serving them with a generous coating of sugar. Yum!
This year's fair also highlighted the issue of de-forestation, and there was a stand organised by the local government devoted to raising awareness of the impact of loosing trees from the countryside. The guys at the stand were handing out little saplings to the public, and encouraging us all to plant a tree.
The honey fair is held annually on the third Sunday of November, and whilst it lacks the charm of the Olive Fair in Caimari, the atmosphere is lively and friendly. Take a wander, buy some honey and then sit yourself down at one of the pavement cafes with your Spanish phrase book and start chatting to the locals. The fair continues into the following week with the more traditional & broader autumn fair on the last weekend of November.
