30-Centimeter Fries: This Mallorca German Brings Crunch to the Island

30 Centimeter Fries: This Mallorca German Brings Crunch to the Island

How a simple idea at a food truck became a summer hit for Porto Colom, Felanitx and private celebrations

It's hot, the cicadas are shrilling, and at the weekly market in Porto Colom sea air mixes with the smell of hot oil. Between stalls with freshly fried fish and heavy baskets of oranges a small delivery van stands out: a simple sign reading 'Patatas XXL'. Not a big promise, but an invitation to be amazed.

Behind the van stands Annette Schulz. She was born in Berlin, has lived on the island for about twenty years and has built up a handful of favourite spots — from coves on the east coast to small squares in Felanitx. From her experience in kitchens and at markets came her idea: fries that are different, not only in length but in preparation and taste.

The pieces that come out of the fryer at Papaiso Mallorca now measure up to 30 centimetres. That was a process: "The first ones were shorter," she says with a smile, "gradually we adjusted the technique." What's crucial is not just the length but the texture. Annette shapes a seasoned potato dough, presses it through a special mould and fries it in a vat that ensures the fries become crispy on the outside and firm on the inside — so they don't tear and can be combined well with toppings, a contrast to some home appliances such as Lidl's double-basket air fryer back on Mallorca.

The creative flavour list reads almost like a small menu: a drop of truffle, sriracha, exotic mango blossoms, traditional aioli or even pulled pork as a savoury option. The XXL fries are complemented by small handmade potato balls filled with sobrasada — a nod to local products. "At first people notice the length, then the surprise comes with the first bite," says Annette. "Then the magic is there."

Her concept works not only at markets. At festivals she has sold hundreds of trays on some days; at one summer festival it was around 400 trays per day. And when the weekly markets in Porto Colom and Felanitx close, her phone rings for catering orders for birthdays and small celebrations on the island.

What I liked most: Annette has turned something from her homeland — the German fondness for potatoes — into something that works well here. She now speaks fluent Spanish, with an accent that sometimes causes confusion: some people think she is French. No one minds — on the contrary, the accent is part of the story.

For Mallorca such ideas are a gift. They bring variety to the local gastronomic scene, create jobs and elevate markets that otherwise consist only of fruit, textiles and fish stalls. Retail developments like ALDI's 'Special' brings Christmas to Mallorca’s tables also shape the island's food scene. A small food truck attracts people to squares they might otherwise pass by the harbours. Tourists and locals meet, try things, talk and make the market evening longer and more colourful.

So if you stroll through the markets of Porto Colom or Felanitx in the coming weeks, take a break, wipe the heat from your face and share one of these long fries. Add your toppings, taste, laugh — and maybe try a sobrasada-filled potato ball. For anyone playing with an idea: Annette is an example of how a simple product and a bit of handiwork can work on the island.

I left the market with crumbs on my fingers and the slight feeling that these small stories are exactly what Mallorca needs: new flavours, people with courage and places to linger for a moment. A portion XXL — and the market evening felt livelier right away.

Short and practical: Papaiso Mallorca is regularly present this summer at the markets of Porto Colom and Felanitx and also offers catering for private events. It's worth trying — especially on hot market days.