Curly macaroni

PalmaThe summer solstice, the moment of the year when the day is longest and the night is shortest, has been celebrated for thousands of years by many of the cultures that have populated the earth. These were pagan festivals where ritual celebrations were held and where the triumph of light over darkness was celebrated. This is the case of the festivities of Classical Greece dedicated to the god Apollo, god of the Sun, during which purifying bonfires were lit. When Christianity spread, the Church adapted many of these existing festivities. This is the case of Saint John, the day on which the birth of the saint is celebrated. According to tradition, Saint John was born at 12 AM, at the same time as Jesus was born and exactly six months before him.

Saint John's Eve has been considered a magical night when the visible and invisible worlds are very close. This imaginary often appears in tales and legends where hidden treasures, enchantments, beings, and supernatural apparitions such as the 'city of Paradela' appear. According to the DCVB it is an atmospheric mirage that is seen every year in the bay of Guya, opposite the town of Capdepera. It looks like a cloud that takes on strange shapes in which silhouettes of buildings, bell towers, and walls are seen, and it is believed to be a great city that sank into the sea. The same phenomenon is observed in Ciutadella, where it is called the 'city of Parella' or also the 'city of Troy' in Felanitx. In Menorca they believe that the year in which, at precisely midnight, 7 Joans and 7 Joanes are found in a certain spot on the beach, the city will re-emerge from beneath the water with all the population that was there when the collapse occurred.

Seasonal fruit

Regarding gastronomy, we are in one of the richest months to enjoy seasonal fruit. Sant Joan coincides with the peak of apricots and also of pears that bear its name, cherries, plums, and flower figs. Eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers begin to ripen. For this reason, it is not surprising that some of these products are part of the most traditional recipes for the festival.

The Sant Joan festivals in Ciutadella are the most emblematic and participatory celebration in the Balearic Islands, and gastronomy, as expected, is an essential element of these days. For a snack, ensaimada with cooked chocolate, bread with accompaniments, Vienna rolls with sobrassada, 'rubiols de picat', and various sweet and savory cakes with apricots, tomato, or sofrito are traditional. For lunch, mention should be made of meatballs with hazelnut or almond sauce, as well as rabbit with peppers or with onions. Among the desserts, 'menjar blanc' stands out, a sweet cream made with milk and starch of medieval origin, which we have discussed on several occasions in this section.

In Ibiza, it is customary to cook 'macarrons de Sant Joan', a very peculiar sweet and cold dessert. The name can be misleading because it is not a savory dish, and the pasta used is long and curly. In ancient times in Ibiza, the term 'macarró' was used generically for different types of pasta, which led to this term being maintained in popular recipes. 'Macarrons de Sant Joan' bear a certain resemblance to 'menjar blanc' and also to rice pudding, as they share ingredients and flavorings.

For today's recipe, I have followed the formula from the book Bon profit!, by Joan Castelló Guasch (1967). Unlike more current recipes, the 'macarrons' in this collection include grated cheese, which contrasts very well with the sweetness of the milk and cinnamon.