Is paella the favorite dish of the islanders?

PalmaPaella is the favorite dish of 57% of the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands, according to the La Fallera Study: Paella, the dish that unites all Spaniards, prepared based on a survey of 1,000 people between 18 and 65 years old. This percentage places the Islands as the second autonomous community where this dish is chosen the most, only behind the Valencian Community, where it reaches 74%.

The study, promoted by Arroz La Fallera on the occasion of International Paella Day, also analyzes the role of this dish as a meeting space. In the Balearic Islands, 76% of those surveyed consider that sharing a paella can help reconcile after a conflict, a percentage lower than the national average, which stands at 85%.

Beyond the discrepancies, 66% of islanders state that they have had a good time eating a paella with people who thought differently from them. Furthermore, 58% claim that this dish has been the perfect excuse to meet up or connect with other people, while 78% say they have spent a pleasant and relaxed time around a paella.

Regarding the way of preparing it, 63% of the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands point to Bomba rice as the variety they trust to prepare this dish.

A dish that encourages dialogue

The state study also focuses on the paella's ability to foster conversation and dialogue. According to the survey, 93% of Spaniards claim that they are more willing to listen without interrupting when around a paella, while 92% state that they would debate respectfully and another 92% would look for common ground instead of differences.

In the same vein, 78% of respondents across the country acknowledge having listened more than argued while around this dish.

"In a context where it is increasingly difficult to agree and where differences seem to be more present than ever, the paella continues to be that space where we stop, we listen to each other, and we find each other again," points out Anabel Ballester, from the La Fallera marketing team.

The study thus concludes that, beyond gastronomic preferences, the paella maintains a social component linked to sharing a table, reconnecting, and generating spaces for conversation. In the Balearic Islands, where more than half of the respondents consider it their favorite dish, this perception also carries significant weight.