WELCOME

JULY 2023 - ROQUETA MAGAZINE

WELCOME TO THE SECOND EDITION OF THE NEW ROQUETA. THE FEEDBACK FROM OUR FIRST ISSUE WAS SO POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING I BECAME QUITE EMOTIONAL. IT HAS SPURRED US ON TO PRODUCE ANOTHER EDITION PACKED WITH NEWS, FEATURES AND USEFUL INFORMATION ON SUMMER EVENTS.

I took a quick trip back to the UK to visit my sisters and picked up a copy of the June Condé Nast Traveller magazine at the airport. I was pleased to see that Menorca is still in the spotlight with an article entitled ‘The Quiet Sister’ (I am not sure if that is me, John thinks we are all too quiet as he comes from a very noisy family!) It describes the global art scene that has “invaded Menorca’s shores” and the people “hopping east from Ibiza and Mallorca preferring the “Balearics’ unshowy recluse”.

We have certainly seen a change in the quality and range of food on offer in Menorca, and every week we seem to hear of another country house that has been reformed into a beautiful and often ‘re-imagined’ boutique retreat in which to hide out. This month our Big Interview is with Chris Hammett of Hammett’s Mestizo who has taken over the restaurant vacated by Way in Mahon.

Not all locals are keen on the idea of the island being transformed. Some despair that there are now fewer restaurants offering the traditional Menorquin dishes. This month, to mark the 50th year of Roqueta, we have compiled a list of the restaurants that have been open since 1973 or before. You will see that many are still offering traditional dishes and those that have updated their menus are still offering local products of Menorca but with a new twist. Also, on the 70’s theme, Sarah Folley has written a wonderful account of her memories of those years in Menorca. We will be featuring more of these articles in the months to come. I am looking forward to hearing all about the infamous water-ski school in Cala en Porter set up in the 60’s.

As each week goes by, more people get in touch to offer their expertise as contributors and we look forward to the definitive article on Menorca – the Nelson Trail in August, by a Nelson and Georgian expert. Someone commented that there was so much in the first issue we might run out of things to write about. I can assure you that we will never be short of stories about the fascinating people with homes on the island. I have had to hold back several features for next month due to lack of space (the Port article for one). The island may have fewer British residents now than 20 years ago but the ones that remain have countless stories to tell.

An opening line by Stefanie Rafanelli in the aforementioned Condé Nast Traveller article reads “The dawn is a dissipating memory – a Rorschach test of cloud, backlit by fire through the Arabic windows of my bedroom”. I would like to finish by inviting any writers who feel they could contribute such erotic and vivid prose to get in touch. As the former Editor of a metal packaging magazine, I feel I will disappoint anyone expecting something similar from me, although I could describe to you the process of necking, flanging and wall ironing a beer can.

In This Issue

ISLAND NEWS

ISLAND NEWS, SUMMER CELEBRATIONS, THE BIG INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTOPHER HAMMETT, SOLAR PANELS, ELECTRIC BOAT, VISAS, ELECTRIC CAR, FINCAS SUNSHINE AND PROPERTY NEWS

FOOD AND DRINK

EATING OUT, GALICIA WINES, ROQUETA RECIPES AND MASTER & COMMANDER WINES

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

CIRCULAR WALKS AND CYCLE RIDES AROUND THE ISLAND AND SUMMER FUNDRAISING GALA

LOCAL NEWS

FROM SPIRITUAL WELLBEING TO CHARITIES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

WHAT’S ON

A GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND THE ISLAND

READERS’ CORNER

PIG TALES AND FUN IN THE SUN