July’s Top 5 Destinations
The stats are in again and the 5 most popular destinations for July are Majorca, Egypt, Turkey, Lanzarote and Menorca. At First Choice, we subscribe to the philosophy ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’. That means, when we’re on holiday, we like to eat like the locals, too. Here’s what we’d be chowing down on if we followed our holidaymakers to their favourite spots…
Arrecife, Lanzarote
Papas arrugadas
You’ll be tripping over papas arrugadas when you go on holiday to Lanzarote. These miniature jacket potatoes have crunchy skins and hot fluffy centres. Traditionally, they come drizzled in a spicy pepper sauce. Most restaurants feature the dish on their tapas menus alongside garlic prawns, tortilla and jamon Serrano.
Palma, Majorca
Servio a la mallorquina
Majorcan restaurants are no strangers to net-fresh fish. Servio a la mallorquina is one of the most popular ways of preparing the catch of the day. The fish of choice is baked and then smothered in a rich tomato sauce, before being sprinkled with pine nuts and raisins. For locals, the anticipation of this dish on the table is as good a reason as any to crack open a bottle of Spanish white wine.
Majorca
Alioli
Mayonnaise is a faithful friend in the UK. We crown chips with it, toss salads with it, and stir it into tuna to make our packed lunch sandwiches work harder. But did you know it was made in Menorca? The white stuff originated in the town of Mahon in the 1700s, and was known on the island as ‘salsa de mahonesa’. Today, locals mix it with tons of garlic to create ‘alioli’ – a thick sauce that’s delicious smothered over crusty bread.
Dalaman, Turkey
Kagit kebab
Kebabs get a bad press in the UK. They’re renowned for being greasy, grey, and deserving of a health warning. In other parts of the world, however, they’re eaten as part of a balanced diet. The kagit, in particular, is a diamond in the kebab rough. What makes it different to other kebabs is the fact it’s oven-baked in parchment paper. The list of ingredients includes cubed lamb, peas, tomatoes, peppers, parsley and thyme.
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Oum Ali
Oum Ali literally means ‘Mother of Ali’, and it’s definitely the mother of all Egyptian desserts. It’s a bit like bread and butter pudding, but made with puff pastry and super-rich vanilla cream, with a few handfuls of dried fruit thrown in for good measure.