Gastronomy

Four salt works remain from a once thriving economy centred on fish salting, now transformed into a benchmark for a gourmet product highly valued in the local cuisine. Their status as traditional intensive salt works explains their exceptional quality, as the smaller the crystallisation ponds, the higher the quality of the salt: less dense, more pleasant on the palate and richer in trace elements.

Gran Canaria can proudly claim to successfully cultivate many of the world’s main tropical fruits, from the classic banana to others equally valued on a healthy table such as avocado, papaya, mango and pineapple. They are not the only ones, the range is far wider, and their presence is a welcome feature in restaurants across the island, no matter the type of cuisine they offer.

A staple food for the first inhabitants of the archipelago, originally made from the barley and wheat they cultivated, this super food has remained a key part of the Canarian diet. In Gran Canaria, it has been made with millo (maize) since the 16th century. Ideal for breakfast thanks to its fibre content and the fact that it does not contain sugar, it is also used in both savoury dishes and desserts, as well as in the creations of the finest chefs.

Around 150 native species of fish and shellfish are caught by artisanal fisheries, along with four of the world’s eight tuna species (tuna, yellowfin, white tuna, and bluefin), in waters enriched by cold Atlantic currents. This abundance is a true luxury on the islanders’ table and is also put to excellent use by restaurant professional.

A pastoral tradition stretching back thousands of years, together with centuries of practices and customs in a land of varied climates, allows the island to offer a remarkable diversity of excellent cheeses, an achievement in such a limited area. From the distinctive and renowned Flor de Guía cheese to semi flower cheeses, those made from migrating sheep, and a wide range produced from goat, sheep and cow milk, either blended or on their own.

The wines of Gran Canaria, from vineyards spread across the island and cultivated at altitudes ranging from 200 to 1,300 metres, offer a wide range of styles made from grape varieties unique to the archipelago. Recognised and awarded internationally for both their quality and originality, they are a staple on the tables of the island’s finest restaurants.

Reintroduced in the 21st century and grown in the shade of other subtropical fruit trees, this coffee first arrived in the Agaete Valley in the early 19th century, where its unique micro climate and volcanic soils proved ideal for its development. First packaged in 2006, it is now also used by chefs across the Canary Islands in their creations, celebrating its quality and distinctive character.

In Gran Canaria, turrones (nougat) are a treat for the summer, the ‘Canarian turrones’, of course. Among their ingredients, the almond stands out, a fruit widely used in the island’s pastry making thanks to the abundance of almond trees and a centuries old tradition of sweet making. Those more typical of the islanders’ Christmas celebrations, and also based on almonds, include marzipan, bienmesabe and polvorones, especially in Tejeda.