SPANISH FOOD

The cuisine of the Canary Islands are much effected by tourism and of course mainland Spanish food.
However, two things stand out as being typically Canarian. Mojo sauce and Canarian potatoes.
Papas Arrugadas - new potatoes cooked in sea water and then baked. These "wrinkly" potatoes taste wonderful.
Salsa Mojo - comes in two basic types, red and green. The red goes well with the potatoes while the green goes
very well with fish. They are made with vinegar, a lot of garlic and oil, flavoured with red or green peppers.
A typical Canarian meal could be a local fish split open and cooked "a la plancha" served with Canarian potatoes and green mojo (mo-ho) sauce, preceded by a salad including bananas, coriander leaves and avocado, as well as the
usual tomatoes and green salad (lettuce may be replaced by thinly sliced cabbage in the hotter islands).
"Almogrote" is a hard cheese & garlic preparation, eaten with bread.
"Gofio" a grain meal that replaced bread for the pre Spanish natives.
"Puchero Canario" hearty chick pea vegetable stew.
"Bienmesabe" almond cream.
Look for rabbit, goat and goat's cheese, bananas, avocado, papaya, cigars (La Palma), rum.
I prefer the red wines to the whites, Vina Norte on Tenerife is my personal choice.
You may find "Vino de Tea" matured in teawood, with a resinous finish.

The tapa tradition is as important for the conversation and company as for the delicious food. Every Spaniard has his favourite tasca, as the tapas bars are often called, where he goes regularly to meet his friends or business acquaintances. Tapas can be found in even the smallest bar in a tiny village.The word tapa, meaning cover or lid, is thought to have originally referred to the complimentary plate of appetizers that many tascas would put like a lid on one's wine glass. Tapas can vary from simple to complex and include cheese, fish, eggs, vegetable dishes, dips, canapés, and savoury pastries. A quantity of tapas can make an excellent meal..