Canary Islands Food: 5 Must-Try Dishes & Drinks

So, you are off to the Canary Islands? You know, those Spanish islands sitting off the coast of Northwest Africa, that everyone raves about. Apart from the beaches and volcanic landscapes, you may have been told the food scene is special. The way I see it, if you do not eat well on vacation, something is terribly amiss. In a way, the Canary Islands provides a particularly exciting proposition when it gets down to trying regional eats. After all, these islands have had all kinds of cultural influences, the landscape is special, and the produce has unique flavor, almost just unlike what you’re likely accustomed to. Are you willing to taste this? Let’s go!

Papas Arrugadas with Mojo Sauce

Now, when someone asks me what screams “Canary Islands”, I usually point them to the ‘papas arrugadas.’ Roughly translated, it is, ‘wrinkled potatoes.’ What I like about this meal is it is usually a straightforward dish to come across – a staple on all the islands. You will almost certainly encounter this as a side, snack, or a key piece of tapas, depending on the place that makes it. Basically, tiny potatoes get boiled in seriously salty water—like, seawater-salty. As the water is evaporated, a thin crust of salt coats the spuds, and that makes the ‘wrinkled’ effect, seemingly adding texture and flavor. What kicks it to another level is the mojo. That can mean different things. Mojo rojo generally features peppers (usually the kind from the Islands), garlic, cumin, paprika, maybe a shot of vinegar, and, so, very important, oil. It offers a rich, somewhat hot bite. On the other hand, Mojo verde utilizes parsley or cilantro, typically delivering a fresher, more grassy taste that still manages to pack that serious punch.

Gofio: The Ancient Grain

Gofio could be described as more than food; you could say it’s almost an institution. You see, the Canarians have loved this toasted grain flour for centuries. Typically, it is made with wheat, barley, or corn, even though other grains sometimes sneak their way in, depending on that island’s traditions and also available grains at the moment. After toasting the grain, it gets stone-ground into a fine flour that brings with it an attractive nutty flavor that could well appeal to you. The way they put this to work has nearly no limits: Stir it into stews to thicken them, use it to knead it into bread or pastries, whisk into your morning milk, very often, too, just stir it with a bit of honey and nuts for an incredibly filling and truly quite convenient snack. Look around for ‘gofio escaldado.’ It involves mixing gofio with fish broth to have like a thick porridge; a lot of people call it, ‘the food of the poor,’ because, for ages, it kept locals afloat in particularly grim times.

Queso Asado: Grilled Cheese Delight

If you dig seriously into cheeses, ‘queso asado’ should definitely hit that checklist of eats while on the islands. A bit more specifically, what normally gets cooked in this instance could very well be a semi-cured goat cheese that’s regional, and that has been lightly grilled or pan-fried. I like that the outer part becomes very nicely golden and carmelized. Almost too, I really feel that contrast between the warm outside and creamy, slightly melted insides. This cheese does the business with a drizzle of local honey or mojo. What the locals often do is give it a bit of palm honey (miel de palma) a thicker, sweeter syrup drawn from palm sap, to kick the flavors up another notch.

Canarian Wine

Did you know that winemaking on the Canary Islands runs deep with seriously unique traditions? Something cool is that a lot of the vineyards sit on that volcanic soil. They insist it imparts a very distinctive mineral-rich flavor into the wine. In some respects, Lanzarote’s winemaking way is truly fascinating. Picture this: winemakers digging little holes in the ash to place each vine; they even throw up semicircular walls built out of stone, like, to provide cover from the constant winds. I am keen on seeking out the local varieties. So, Malvasía Volcánica white that makes you remember the volcanic landscape; Listán Negro reds presenting freshness, or even the sweet dessert wines made utilizing Moscatel grapes; you can’t really beat that range of options. Anyway, one thing you may not be aware of, Canarian wines are little recognized outside of the islands; make certain you use this chance to experience this. A wine tasting at among that regional vineyards may become that memory you reflect back fondly on from a trip here.

Ron Miel: Honey Rum

You want something local for something after all those wonderful meals? Give ‘ron miel’ a look; it is basically honey rum and a seriously loved drink throughout the Canary Islands. The way I would almost phrase it, it is not just any rum with honey mixed in; a lot of people would swear that, no, it goes much farther back than that. I think you’ll find that manufacturers use authentic Canarian honey to sweeten it, creating what I believe, is, that really special flavor and fragrant aroma you almost would only come across from that particular type of honey. In some respects, the flavors are kind of sweet, so too its floral and smooth, so it can work wonderfully sipped independently after your dinner. Other people like to put some into the coffee, or get creative with cocktails. The “ron miel” could easily be deemed as your Canarian vacation in a bottle.