PalmOne of my favorite summer reads is fables. I never follow a specific order; I look for those I've always liked, and I discover and remember others as I read them. My godfather used to tell us some, and he still has a first edition of Volume I of the fables. Mallorcan Rondayas, by Jordi des Racó, which he had in his house. I recognize his way of speaking in the characters' expressions, because he also said them. Nowadays, the vocabulary of the stories is difficult to understand for the youngest; a gigantic vessel for a language.
Food is a key element in fables, a factor that allows us to understand the daily lives of the simplest people and also the collective values and desires that these stories convey. In a context in which the majority of the population lived in conditions of precariousness and scarcity, food takes on a powerful symbolic charge: food appears as a reward, as a dream, as a symbol of a better life that is often only achieved through cunning, kindness, or magical intervention. The cuisine in the stories tells us about the products of the earth, firsthand. The basic foods are oil, wine, and, above all, bread. There is also talk of pork, milk and cheese, legumes, fruits such as figs, hunting, and fishing, among others. The simple and austere dishes of the peasantry are contrasted with the abundant and festive dishes of monarchs and nobility. According to The cuisine of the Mallorcan Rondaies (Caterina Valriu, Paula Valriu and Bárbara Sagrera, Seventeen Edition, 2022) The royal table is the table dreamed of by those who suffer from hunger. They imagine it to be abundant and delicious, and that is why many more dishes are described, typical of good home cooking. Many characters begin their adventure in a situation of misery where the lack of food acts as the driving force that pushes them to act. Food can also appear in the form of magical banquets, tables that stand on their own, or pots that boil incessantly, symbolizing the aspiration for a life free from material hardship.
On the other hand, food in fables also reflects the morality of the time. Food is often presented as a reward for generosity or intelligence, but it can also be a form of punishment for those who act greedily, selfishly, or maliciously. It is common to find characters sharing what little they have with a stranger, often jayetes who appear on the character's path. Thanks to this gesture, they receive magical food or unexpected prosperity. On the other hand, those who refuse to share or who abuse others end up suffering from hunger or being deceived. These situations not only reinforce popular ethics but also offer role models to those who listen or read.
Yellowish rice, greixoneres of all kinds, cooked dishes, soups, stuffed chickens and capons, roasts, bread and cheese, figs, fritters, cakes, and other delicacies frequently appear in many stories. Today's recipe will be a version of the pink cake from the book. The Cuisine of the Mallorcan Rondaies that we mentioned before. According to the authors, the "pink" designation isn't due to the color, but to the rose water that flavors the cake. If you don't have any, you can substitute it with another flavoring, such as orange blossom water, vanilla extract, or orange or lemon peel.
For the yeast
l 40 g of strong flour
l 25 g fresh baker's yeast
l 62.5 g of water
For the bite
l 460 g of strong flour
l 175 g of sugar
l 125 g of water
l 3 eggs
l 80 g of butter
l All the yeast
l 2 tbsp rose water
l 150-200 g of butter more for spreading the pasta
Melt the yeast with the water and add the sifted flour. Cover with a cloth and let it rise. When you see that it has risen in volume and has lots of bubbles, it's ready.
In a ribell or a thick bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, rose water, butter, and yeast. Add the sifted flour and mix until you have a smooth paste. Once it's made, begin to work it, aerating the paste. Lift it from the bottom up, opening and gathering it as if opening a fan. Work for five to ten minutes. After this time, coat your hands with oil and gather the paste from your hands and the ribell, also coating it with the oil. It's very sticky, so a spatula is also recommended. Cover the ribell and let it double in volume.
Break up the soft dough, knead the dough for five minutes, and then place it in the greased baking dish. Let it soften and bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through. If you like, you can make individual dough balls by dividing the dough into small portions. Shape them into balls and place them in a baking dish, separated from each other.
