Tenerife Gastronomy

Canarian cooking is Mediterranean in style but with its own unique character. There is a distinct preference for traditional farm produce and meats, with low reliance on fatty foods. Gofio, a traditional staple of the Islands, has its roots in prehispanic Canarian culture. Made from ground and toasted maize or wheat, gofio is highly nutritious and can be eaten as a dough mix, with savoury foods such as fish, or as a drink in milk. There are also a number of excellent cheeses made on the Island, some of which have excelled in national and international competitions.

Pork is abundant on the island and prepared in many styles.

Succulent stews and hearty soups are popular choices.

Fish is probably the most common Canarian staple, be it fresh or salted, and usually accompanied by one of a large selection of 'Mojo' sauces which range in flavour and strength, from the extremely hot and spicy to medium or very mild.

'Sancocho' is one of the traditional fish stews made from salted sea bream, stone bass or wreckfish (this species has no English equivalent) which should be tried.

Tinerfeños enjoy all kinds of meat, but pork takes first place. Not to be missed is the specially prepared roast leg of pork.

Potatoes are another common ingredient and come in a variety of ways. Outstanding are the potato stews or the ubiquitous and aptly named 'papas arrugadas' (wrinkled potatoes), which are boiled in extremely salty water and eaten with hot 'Mojo' sauce.

And to round out your taste experience, there are shellfish and a variety of tropical fruits .