With the festivities of Christmas, New Year and Three Kings behind us, now in January it is time for the Festa de Sant Antoni. The fiesta involves large bonfires up and down the island but, nowhere more so than in Sa Pobla. After all, Sant Antoni is the patron saint of Sa Pobla. Celebrations in Sa Pobla include a special gastronomic event devoted to eels, the Mostra Gastronòmica de s’Anguíla (Jan. 7th – 17th), with 16 bars and restaurants participating. The eel comes from the nearby Parc Natural de s’Albufera and now is the season for the delicate freshwater fish.

Espinagadas are gastronomic delights that can be found all over Mallorca all year round. They are large Empanadas-type concoctions typically filled with lomo con col. During January and the eel season, however, Espinagadas are filled with chard, leeks, raisins, garlic, spring onions, olive oil, parsley, pepper, paprika and salt, plus bits of the freshly caught eel, all wrapped up in an envelope of pastry made of flour, lard, water and olive oil. You should try one.

The photos were taken in Sa Pobla, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 15th, 2010. The time was 14:53:42 and 14:16:41, respectively.