Almonds in Mallorca are not in full bloom quite yet but, the first signs of the imminent beginning of the almond blossom season are apparent all over the island. The mild January weather helped the crop albeit there was a severe lack of rain so far. There may be plenty of almonds this year of a smaller size than usual, unless we get some rain in February. As it happens, rain is forecast for today and tomorrow and snow is forecast in Mallorca’s higher regions above 400 m from tomorrow night.

Our daughter baked a cake last night as a birthday token. She used almond blossoms as part of the decoration (see photo below). The flowers are edible.

The kernels of the bitter almond (Amygdalus communis) are a good source of amygdaline. According to both, Oriental Medicine and alternative medicine, these kernels are anti-carcinogenic. In Chinese pharmacology, the pits are classified as a drug rather than food as they contain cyanide (hydro-cyanic acid). They are used medicinally and are said to combat cancer, stimulate respiration, improve digestion, help reduce blood pressure and arthritic pain and give a sense of well-being. Don’t take my word for it; I am a blogger, not a doctor. If you have any health problems of the kind mentioned above, please consult your doctor.

The town of Son Servera usually holds the Fira de la Flor d’Ametler at the beginning of February. I have not found any dates for this year’s event, yet. If the date and the event get confirmed, I shall let you know.

The photo (top) was taken near Lluchmajor, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 26th, 2012. The time was 15:19:01. The photo (bottom) was taken in Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 27th, 2012. The time was 19:02:20.

Thank you, Onna.