Tenerife is the largest Canary Island that’s off the north-western African coast. It is a beautiful island and a hotspot for tourists who want to immerse themselves in their food culture and beautiful beaches. Traditional Canarian food and drinks are one of the best secrets of Tenerife. Here are some of the traditional foods you can enjoy on the island.
Mojo
It is a sauce paired with almost every meal, including the famous wrinkled potatoes (Papas Arrugadas). There are two standard versions of the sauce containing different ingredients: red pepper and garlic, while the other has coriander and parsley. Almost all restaurants serve these two types of sauces, making them popular among visiting tourists.
Goat Cheese
It is also known as Fresco, and the people in this lovely Canary Island consume more cheese per season than other parts of Spain. The cheese is sourced from farms in the Anaga region, and some dairy farmers cover the cheese with some pepper to give it a little twist. You can have the cheese fresh or fried with the food of your choice.
Fish and Sancocho Canaria
Fish is a traditional food on the island because fishermen deliver different fish species in large quantities. You can have the fish in whatever form you like, and it could be dried, fried or stewed.
Sancocho Canaria is a delicacy mostly eaten on Good Friday because it is a tradition made for that event. Sancocho means thick soup, but the dish in Tenerife does not have as much soup.
To make Sancocho Canaria, you need to have preserved and salted fish soaked for 24 hours, then boil the fish with potatoes and serve it with sauces or herbs.
Ropa Vieja Canaria
Ropa Vieja is known for its Caribbean origins, but the Tenerife version is quite different because chickpeas are the main ingredients. Leftover meats are added to the soup to make it even tastier, and some herbs or spices to stew with the ingredients.
Papas Arrugadas (Wrinkled Potatoes)
Potatoes in Spain are boiled in sea salt water for about 30 minutes, then they are roasted, resulting in wrinkled skin and a salty crust. Papas Arrugadas is a dish filled with flavor because the potatoes grow in rich volcanic soils.
Conejo al salmorejo (rabbit stew)
The rabbit stew should marinate with a sauce made of the following ingredients; oil, wine, vinegar, garlic, pepper and thyme. The marinade should be left overnight to combine well with the meat. The next day it is fried in low heat as the marinade is added to the meat to simmer.
Gofio
The food is popular because it is the legacy of the local Guanche people. It is a type of flour made with toasted grains. It is mixed with fish broth making a meal commonly known as escaldon.
Arroz a la Cubana
The dish made from bananas is supposedly borrowed from the Cubans. Fried bananas are the key ingredients, but the dish also comprises rice and sausages. It is healthy, delicious and also quick to make.
Wines
Tenerife is filled with lots to explore and eat, but one thing that stands out is the wine brewed on the island. The grapes produce some of the best white wine in Tenerife.
The Listan Blanco is a white wine made from the Palomino grapes. The wine is mixed with other acidic red wine to form one of the sweetest wines in the world. They acquire their taste due to the rich volcanic soils that help complement other meat and cheese dishes on the island.
Other wines are made from Malvasia, Tinta Negra, Marmajuello and Verjello.
Where to Stay in Tenerife
After a satisfying meal, the Catalonia Punta del Rey Hotel would be an amazing place to stay. The hotel is located in Candeleria town 14kms from Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The hotel has solar-heated swimming pools and two open-air Jacuzzis with a lovely sea view. The hotel is only two minutes from the beach and 100 metres away from Las Caletillas.
The wonderful dishes, rich culture, illustrious hotels, and the beautiful views Tenerife has to offer makes the island one of the top destinations in the world. You can be a part of that by booking a trip to the island and having the vacation you have always wanted.
