Preserving and celebrating history at Can Det

Can Det is a stately house covering 1400 square metres and containing a restored 16th century olive oil press. But it’s not set in extensive grounds on a finca, it’s in a quiet road between Biniaraix and Soller and from the outside you would not guess what is inside. Stepping into the cobbled stone hallway filled with hostas and a clean daylight it’s a relief from the hot sun outside. There’s a large, rounded arch that opens to the stone-clad entrance. The house has a lovely courtyard garden filled with greenery offering much needed shade. And, on the first and second floors are the bedrooms and rooms that for decades in the past were inhabited by the Can Det family. But we are here to see the ground floor where the business is done.

Tomeu tells us about the history of the house. His family who have always worked in the production of oil and citrus fruits settled in Soller, famous for its oranges and olive production, in the 16th century, and are still there 17 generations later. The house itself is first seen in the local archives in 1561, that’s quite a business lineage. In the olive groves up the road from the house there are ancient trees. Many of which are very old indeed. A particular tree of his family has been awarded a prize as the Best Olive Tree in Spain in 2020. It is more than a thousand years old, and three metres wide at the trunk. “It's one hour walking from here, if you fancy, up the mountain. You are invited to visit the tree because it's open doors, the place. So many people come and visit the tree. It is still producing olives, because the trees, old or young, if you take care of them, the quality of the olives is the same.” Preserving, celebrating and teaching history seems to be in itself a family tradition of Tomeu’s.

Tomeu leads us into the “tafona” where the oil press is kept. Originally powered by livestock, the oil press is now adapted to run on electricity and operates on the same machinery that was installed by his grandfather Guillermo Deyà Ozonas, in 1942. It is the only oil press in the Balearic Islands that works using the traditional system: a mill with three tapered stones that roll over a stone base measuring 2.5 metres in diameter. At Can Det, they continue to use the soft wicker baskets and traditional hydraulic presses in order to preserve the practices that bear so much historical and family significance.

Oil production in the mill usually starts mid-October and continues until the end of January. This three-month period is when the olive harvest takes place in the valley. Can Det, as well as producing oil from its estate, provides a service to small producers in the Serra de Tramuntana who bring in their own olives and take home the resulting oil for personal consumption. We look into the very large cold storage area which is filled with oranges and tomatoes and we are invited to take a couple to try later. Tomeu explains that during the oil production period there are not so many tours because they are busy with the press, but that people are always welcome to come to see the process.

After the tour we are shown to the dining room and kitchen. “I was born upstairs,” Tomeu tells us, “and I grew up at this table.” Laid out is a typical Mallorcan “berenar” or snack, rustic bread, slices of cheese, slices of meat, a bowl of tomatoes, a dish of salt and a bottle of oil. The visitors, from the Netherlands, North America and Canada all tuck in. We are served freshly squeezed orange juice and local wine. Then a dessert of almonds, almond cake (gató) and puding. I think about how this is a wonderful way to offer a glimpse into a simpler way of life, to show the importance of family (which I see time and again in Mallorca). We are sharing a table with the girls from the Netherlands and I ask them about why they are on the tour rather than on the beach soaking up the rays. “We wanted to find out more about Mallorca’s history, and we can’t spend every day sunbathing!” I nod, and think it would also make a great “wet weather” option for families and adult visitors.

Whilst we are eating Tomeu lets slip that before he started to lead the tours he worked in the Balearic Tourism Department for 15 years. I ask him about his opinion on the summer’s hot topic, “Tourists go home?” I ask him. He shakes his head, his lips purse, and looks at me, “It is a complicated subject which is not being communicated properly. We have always welcomed visitors in Mallorca and I think we will and should continue to do so.” He tells me about his time studying in Scotland at Stirling University, and his career in tourism. Now he works with UNESCO doing World Heritage assessments. “I don’t get paid for it, but it is a passion of mine. I get to travel the world and learn more about others, and I contribute to their culture as well. An exchange of views, that is what we should always try to have with our visitors. We share and show our lifestyle and when we travel we learn about yours.”

You can see more about the house, and book a tour clicking here.