The amberjack is one of the great lords of the Mediterranean Sea. A solitary rockfish that lives hidden in caves and deep crevices. Fishermen have always spoken of it with a certain reverence: it is not just any fish, but a patient, powerful, and cunning inhabitant of the sea that knows its territory and is only deceived if the sea allows it. In ancient times, it was believed that old specimens, those that no one had ever caught, knew all the secrets of the sea and could hide or change location as if they had thoughts. Therefore, when a fisherman found a large one, there was often a mixture of respect and superstition.

We generally associate baking with a festive event, be it religious or family. Flour, butter, sugar, and eggs come together and are transformed into a wide range of sweet treats. Also united are essential ingredients such as almonds, cinnamon, and preserves that bring together the most delicious fruits of each season. We also enjoy savory pastries, cakes, spinach, and small pieces that encase treasures in a heart surrounded by pastry. Our gatherings take place around the table, and our sweet and savory pastries are often present. Our recipe books also showcase a whole tradition of sweet pasta with savory fillings, a seemingly contradictory combination but deeply rooted in our cuisine, especially of noble and convent origins.

From the small pantry, she took out a beautiful glass jar with embossed fruit. A special jar, the kind you keep to store valuable things or to display on the table when you have guests. From inside, she took out a flat, wrinkled, and dry little ball, like her hands, as if it were an extension of herself. I didn't understand at the time that what she was offering me was a very precious treat. I remember the taste of anise and the, I think, fig seeds as I nibbled on it. And also her standing in front of me with her hand extended so generously.

Agnès Barceló (Manacor, 1995) has been the chef of the Plaer Vegetarià restaurant in Manacor for years. an Instagram profileLaurelito Millo, where he posts explanatory videos about how cooking can be healthy while still being tasty. And he does it very well.