Horses, carts, karozzini and much more!

Uncle Nenu Showing me photos of his work

Today I had a chat with my uncle Nenu, a craftsman who still practices the tradition learnt at a young age. Carmelo Farrugia (a.k.a Nenu), from Qormi, owns a small workshop where he constructs, repairs and paints mounting equipment for racing horses.

The traditional "karozzini" or horse cabs, associated with Valletta tours, and sulkies or "srieken" in Maltese are still sought for by locals who share the passion for horses.

In olden times, everything was carried on horse driven carts; vegetables, construction material, flour and much more. Nowadays, they are collection items featured in agrarian fairs organised all over Malta.

My Nannu (left) and Uncle Nenu around 40 years ago

To raise awareness about this tradition, we are organising workshops and experiences for those who are keen in learning about Malta and it's crafts. Call us on 00356 21411388 or email us on info@merillecotours.com. We'd love to hear from you!

Ready for the track!

Our Daily Bread at Casal Fornaro

The old streets of the bread making village, Qormi, have been once again turned into one big feast to celebrate traditional bread. Qormi is also known as Citta Pinto, named after Grandmaster Emanuel Pinto de Fonseca who granted this village the level of a "city" in 1743. The roots of the old city are still well ingrained in traditions, architecture and local dialect. In order to promote the traditional bread of Malta, two whole evenings of activities are underway.

Today has been fantastic. The streets were well lit and full of aromas coming from stalls of bread, biscuits and traditional nougat. A 230-foot-long baguette was prepared and sold in aid of Puttinu cares, a charity organisation. 

Tomorrow will be the second and last evening of Casal Fornaro. Live bands and traditional music will fill the streets with pleasant sounds. More delicious foods and sweets will be freshly prepared for the large crowds expected to visit this amazing village. 

Photos by Christian Borg

With a Pinch of Salt

Salt Pans in Malta

The harvesting of salt in Malta dates back to centuries ago. Being an island in the centre of the Mediterranean, shipments used to stop for replenishment thus taking with them essential items such as salt. Salt pans (in Maltese: 'Salini') are found in various areas around Malta and Gozo, most of which are unfortunately inactive. It is a tough job to harvest salt and the skill is being lost in time.

I feel there is still some hope left for this tradition. At Merill Eco Tours we created a tour that focuses on traditions such as salt production. During such a tour, salt pans are visited and a demonstration is given to our guests. Hands-on salt harvesting experiences can be organised upon request between May and September. Crispy Hobz biz-Zejt (local bread and olive oil) is served during the excursion as a snack in summer... obviously with a pinch of salt!

Here is a very good article about Salt Production in the Maltese Islands by Mr. Martin Morana - History of Salt Production in the Maltese Islands