Products of Gran Canaria

Agriculture

Livestock

Fishing

The Agricultural Market Project Coordinator: Cuqui Marrero Escudero Participants: Alejandro Báez Acosta (fishing and fish farming), Carmen Brito Alayón (oil), Cuqui Marrero Escudero (fishing and fish farming, Tasting Gran Canaria and the Agricultural Market), Elizardo Monzón Gil (honey and cheese), Nicolás Navarro Guerra del Río (black suckling pig), Rosa Hernández Santana (wine), Yuri Millares Photos Cuqui Marrero Escudero: Pages 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 31, 40 and 46 Lex Thoonen: Page 25 Fátima Gómez Aristu: Pages 4, 6, 10, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 44 and 45 Rogelio Herrera Pérez: Page 16 Tomás Cabrera: Page 38

Index

Primary sector products of Gran Canaria......................................................... 2-21 Extra virgin olive oil .............................................................................. 4-5 Olives with mojo sauce ........................................................................ 6-7 Canarian black suckling pig ................................................................. 8-9 Honey from Gran Canaria ................................................................ 10-13 Professional fishing .......................................................................... 14-15 Fish farming ..................................................................................... 16-17 I Like Gran Canaria .................................................................................. 18-19 Tasting Gran Canaria ............................................................................... 20-21 Almonds, marzipan and bienmesabe .............................................................. 22-23 Coffee from Agaete ........................................................................................... 24-25 Chorizos and black puddings from Teror........................................................ 26-27 Tropical fruits .................................................................................................... 28-29 Gofio corn meal ................................................................................................. 30-31 Bread (matalahúva, potato, maize and egg bread) ........................................ 32-33 Cheeses from Gran Canaria ............................................................................. 34-37 Sea salt .............................................................................................................. 38-39 Wines from Gran Canaria ................................................................................. 40-47 The Agricultural, Livestock and Fishing Market of Gran Canaria ................ 48-50

PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Primary sector products of Gran Canaria volcanic origins have blessed the islands with many particular

The Gran Canaria Guarantee of Quality Brand*

features. At the same time, the island’s orientation, altitude and

This brand belongs to the Cabildo Insular de Gran Canaria, and

The geographical location of the Canary Archipelago and its

topography give rise to a diverse range of microclimates, favouring the existence of some truly unique flora and a huge variety of endemic plants. All these peculiar features are transmitted into the cheese, honey, wine and the rest of the products that are born out of our farming sector, adding subtle touches to flavours and making them unique around the world.

The Cabildo of Gran Canaria are aware of the value of these local products, and are carrying out promotional and commercial campaigns, with the aim of raising the economic prowess of local farm produce.

These campaigns include: · The “Gran Canaria Quality” brand · The “I Like Gran Canaria” brand · The “Tasting Gran Canaria” brand · Official olive oil, wine, honey and cheese Tasting Sessions and Contests · The Farming, Livestock and Fish Market

has been set up on a voluntary basis to enable operators to highlight the differenciating quality of their products, and as such, constitutes for consumers a guarantee as to the origin and identity of products carrying the label.

With the “Gran Canaria Quality” Brand we aim to highlight the unique kind of quality of the island’s special farming and fishing produce, all of which has to meet strict quality requirements.

The common feature of the Gran Canaria Quality line of products includes: good handling practices, respect for the

environment and the traceability of the products. Participating producers are required to fulfill a range of specific techniques for each of their products, both in the production phase and in their transformation, packaging, sales and distribution.

The first products to be part of the Gran Canaria Quality family are honey, black suckling pig, olive oil, and fishing and aquaculture products.

* REGULATIONS OF USE OF THE GUARANTEE BRAND “GRAN CANARIA QUALITY” Published in the Official Public Bulletin of Las Palmas, dated 20th May 2011.

Primary sector products of Gran Canaria

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Virgin Olive Oil Gran Canaria is the island in the Canaries with the highest land surface area dedicated to the cultivation of olives. They have been cultivated since time immemorial, around the edges of orchards and on the great sloping meadows to the southeast of the island.

Olive trees and the harvesting of their fruit form part of the tradition of the local inhabitants of more rural settings who used to pour mojo sauce over olives and then used the leftovers to make olive oil through traditional stone mills and presses.

The varieties used for the production of these oils include Ver-

The increase in this cultivation has led to a possible new alterna-

dial de Huévar (or “locally grown” olives), Arbequina and Picual,

tive to maintain and bolster the local economy. Its great ability to adapt to a range of different environmental conditions, as well as its high agronomic, ethnographic and landscape value, has favoured its expansion.

The table olive produced in this area, both in its raw form and with dressing, is currently a highly acclaimed product, and as such is an essential part of the island’s culinary offerings. Extra virgin olive oil nowadays is produced at modern olive presses set up all around the region, and is gaining the recognition and prestige it richly deserves.

which help to heighten their characteristic perception of taste and smell, combining to produce complex fruity sensations of medium intensity with subtle touches of fresh tomato and/or recently cut herbs, with an appreciable and balanced presence of spice and bitterness on the palate.

The Cabildo de Gran Canaria’s “Gran Canaria Quality” seal protects these oils, guaranteeing that their manufacture has involved olives to have been exclusively harvested on the island and has followed a painstaking process that guarantee their quality.

Virgin Olive Oil

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Olives with mojo sauce The early colonizers, immediately after the conquest of the

diet and cuisine. Yet it has always been sweetened and dres-

island, introduced their olive seeds and saplings to the par-

sed with Canarian mojo sauce in different guises, depending

ched, sunny south of the island… and with them a Medite-

on the region.

rranean olive-growing culture. The first mills started up in the

The process starts off by placing them in brine for at least four

16th century, while the last of the eight of them that existed in the area was still working until midway through the 20th century. All of them were dedicated wholly to the production of virgen olive oil.

or five days, when they are then strained and a little cut put into them, or, if they are to be eaten soon, they may be gently mashed. The mojo sauce, with its different flavours depending on local or family tradition, is then added, and they are left to

These mills, with their turning cogs that crushed olives on a

soak for a further few days. The mojo sauce is basically a mash

stone concavity, are still fondly remembered today in the 21st

of garlic, sea salt, red pepper (or rehydrated, dried pepper), red

century. “The olives were thrown into a sink, a stone with a

paprika, vinegar, olive oil and oregano.

single pin, and they were ground like a waterwheel. The pips and everything were all mashed in together”, recalls Teodoro,

Yuri Millares, December 2017

one of the first farmers to use the first modern mills in 2003, which were soon followed by others which brought the finest extra virgin olive oil to islanders’ meal tables.

However, the variety known as the “locally grown olive” (which despite many centuries of adaptation, is well known to correspond to the green Huévar variety) has also been consumed –and uninterruptedly so- and is still present in local

Olives with mojo sauce

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Canary Black Suckling Pig Canary black suckling pig is the only indigenous pig breed on the Archipelago, and is included in the Official Catalogue of Spanish Livestock Breeds. Our pigs are included in the list of Special Protected Breeds, as they are in danger of becoming extinct.

Along with the many successive waves of human population, pig populations from varying different origins were brought in, mainly from the north of Africa and the west of the Mediterranean. The arrival of further breeds from the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles led the emergence of a multi-racial group different from other groups, who adapted perfectly to the unique and varied surroundings of the Canary Archipelago.

Characteristics of Canary Black Suckling Pig This is a rustic animal that has adapted to its environment. Its skin is rough and covered in long, thick black hairs, in a threadbare fashion, revealing its dark skin. It has a small head and a short snout, and long, wide ears. Its tail is straight and points downwards with no spiral, while its hooves are black in colour.

This breed, thanks to its types of muscular fibre, boast optimum qualities for obtaining meats with high levels of fats rich in omega 3 acids and “good” polyinsaturates, which is reflected in the reddy tones of its meat making it that much more juicy, characteristics which are highly appreciated by consumers.

In 2012 the Cabildo de Gran Canaria granted the Canary Black Suckling Pig the Gran Canaria Quality Brand, a guarantee which other producers are joining in with more and more. Under this protective banner, the meat of the black suckling pig meets a series of requirements related to the habitat, feeding and sacrifice of the animal, which go into insuring the superior quality of the end product.

Canary Black Suckling Pig

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Honey from Gran Canaria The location of this volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean gives rise to a diverse range of micro-climates, in turn favouring a unique flora comprising a wide variety of endemic plants (over 500 unique species to the Canaries and 500 in all the Macaronesia region), hence making the honey produced in Gran Canaria wholly unique around the world.

The honey in Gran Canaria is produced by the Black Canary Bee, a local bee species that has adapted to our climate and which is characterised by its extraordinary production and docile nature. The physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the honey are determined by the type of nectar the bees collect, and are distinguished by two different honey types: · Monofloral: the predominance of nectar from a single floral species lends the honey some highly defined sensory characteristics, as is the case of honey made from tajinaste, tedera, pitara, barrilla and orange.

· Multifloral: These types of honey come from the nectar of several different plant species and in variable proportions.

In Gran Canaria nearly 11,000 beehives exist, worked by just over 300 beekeepers. Production is closely linked to the climate and differs year on year due to prevailing amounts of rainfall. Annual production on the island totals some 90,000 kilos, yet it represents barely 30% of honey consumed, as local production is on occasions overshadowed by large volumes of imported honey. To this end, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria has stepped in to guarantee local production and its quality, with the Gran Canaria Guarantee of Quality Brand. This brand puts the accent on good practices in the handling of the beehive and the obtaining of honey, as well as the traceability of the product. All this leads to a product of maximum quality and purity. The honey under the protection of the Gran Canaria Quality Brand are subject to a “batch by batch” laboratory control in which they determine the physical, chemical and organoleptic quality and the honey’s floral origins.

Honey from Gran Canaria

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Characteristics of Gran Canaria Honey: types of honey The variety and richness of vascular flora provide the most extraordinary multifloral honey, which on many occasions has a single dominant plant or flower present. Those honeys with touches of tajinaste or tedera plants are highly regarded. Our local honey has traditionally been classified in terms of the altitude at which the beehives are located: Coastal honey: In areas up to 600 metres above sea level, a standout honey comes from the barrilla plant (Mesembryamthemum crystalinum), as it has a striking ivory white colouring and a kind of toffee taste to it with a caustic touch. Other types of honey made at this altitude have orange and avocado touches. On occasions these honeys might also have a presence of pitera plant (Agave americana), providing it with a bitter taste highly sought after by some consumers.

Hillside honey: Between 600 metres and 1,000 metres altitude is possibly where we find the most varieties of honey, the highlights being those made with tajinaste, tedera, cardo and relinchón. In the case of the tedera plant (Bituminaria bituminosa) the honey has a distinct coconut flavour to it.

Summit honey: Above 1,000 metres altitude the most frequently found honeys are multifloral, with a predominance of retama, eucalyptus and chestnut. These honeys are characterized by their pleasant aroma and damp, woody flavour.

The Official Honey Competition of Gran Canaria The Official Honey Competition of Gran Canaria is held once every year, and comprises two categories: professional (the beekeeper is required to have a honey packaging room on the health register) and amateur (beekeepers who don’t sell their produce directly).

In both cases, the honeys are coded, in order to hide their origin, until the end of the competition. The judging features three phases:

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1. Physiochemical analysis: any honey that doesn’t meet quality parametres laid out in the competition rules are disqualified.

2. Sampling Jury: honey samples with any impurities and/or abnormal flavours or odours are also ruled out.

3. Sensorial Analysis: the panel of judges from the Cabildo de Gran Canaria assesses the smell, the aroma (a blend of the smell and the flavour), and the taste of the honey.

The SWEETEST HONEY obtains the GOLD MEDAL Check out the winners of the Official Honey Competition of Gran Canaria at: www.grancanaria.com/turismo/es/gastronomia/catas-insulares/

Mieles de Gran Canaria

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Fishing industry The fishing industry of Gran Canaria is known mainly for its craftsmanship, as small boats with 2 to 8 crew members fish daily, just off the coast, at depths between 20 and 800m. The fishing days are short, so high quality, fresh fish is brought in every day. Even the largest vessels, for fishing tuna, tend to unload their catches daily.

Traditional fishermen on Gran Canaria catch around 150 species and practically all are edible so everything is sent to the market.

There are variety of groups, from those that live closer to the bottom, such as moray eels, groupers, red mullets, salemas, bream, samas and hake, to those closer to the surface, such as sardines, mackerel, and tuna, among others.

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Types of fish products Fish are caught using traditional methods in the waters surrounding Gran Canaria in compliance with fishing and health regulations, guaranteeing their sustainability, as well as their traceability and safety.

It is worth noting that artisanal fishing is done with fish traps and / or hook tackle, such as line and longline, as well as

Lastly, many of our fishermen make sure their fish are slaughtered humanely in water and ice, preventing stress and boosting the fish’s quality and preservation time. They are then transported in isothermal containers packed with ice and, once unloaded at the Authorized Point of First Sale, are legally certified and issued documents that prove their origin and traceability.

swordfish nets. These techniques are are passive and set for just a few hours, meaning that, used correctly, they give high-quality, sustainable products, and avoid crushing, typically a result of large catches. Even the various species of tuna, including bluefin tuna, are fished using hooks and are well above the minimum authorized sizes.

What’s more, trawling gear is banned in the Canary Islands, which prevents damage to the seabed from fishing vessels, as well as giving fish populations a time to recover.

Professional fishing

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Aquaculture Aquaculture in Gran Canaria began in the eighties, and the island has become one of Spain’s most important aquaculture producers, especially of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), although seabream is also produced industrially. (Sparus aurata).

In Gran Canaria, all aquaculture is whole-farm, meaning the fry are born and raised in captivity from imported parents, and never obtained via extractive fishing techniques. From the very beginning, the fry eat high-quality feed and live modern tanks on land.

When the seabream and seabass are big enough, they are moved to floating sea cages until they are ready to be sold whole and fresh.

One of the main advantages of island aquaculture is the water’s thermal stability, between 18 and 25ºC, which allows the fish to grow all-year round, unlike extreme temperatures found in other latitudes that make it impossible for the fish to grow in the open sea.

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Characteristics of aquaculture companies and products • Authorized companies must respect the environment • They establish the necessary conditions to guarantee quality products • Reduce damage to fish when they are removed from their cages, minimizing time in order to reduce stress during slaughter • They feed the fish, from their juvenile stage to the end of their productive cycle, with high quality dry feed and proven to satisfy their nutritional needs and minimize the impact of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter to the environment

Fish farming

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I Like Gran Canaria The ‘I Like Gran Canaria’ Brand is the core element of a programme for the promotion and commercialization of locally grown products. It is the brainchild of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, and came about in 2017. It has emerged thanks to a joint effort by the Departments of Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Housing, the Primary Sector and Food Sovereignty, Tourism and Economic Development, Energy and R+D. The project features an original logo which allows consumers to easily identify products produced, made or manufactured on the island of Gran Canaria, and is backed by partners from all stages of the productive process, namely food outlets, producers, restaurants and collaborators who all share our common vision of positioning the local product and elevating it to a proper level of food sovereignty.

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

‘I Like Gran Canaria’ has an attractive and distinctive label that highlights the deep rooted identity of the farming industry on the island, and demonstrates the islanders’ keenness to get behind their local produce, with truly quality products, made in an ever more sustainable way and which will boost the local economy. The programme started out with an oficial presentation to distribution channels on 27th march 2017. Its main objective is to raise the awareness to the public of the importance of consuming local products.

Given that proper identification at outlets is key to helping consumers choose the products they wish to take home with them, from 2018 they can find the ‘I Like Gran Canaria’ label on agricultural, meat and fish products that are painstakingly cultivated, carefully collected and passionately prepared right here on the island of Gran Canaria.

Prior experience gained at regional gastronomical events such as the I Like Gran Canaria and Gastrocanarias fairs, as well as open days such as Vinófilos and the Salón de Gourmets have paved the way for us to access national events such as the Madrid Fusión Fair.

Mª del Carmen García Santurde

I Like Gran Canaria

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Tasting Gran Canaria The fundamental objective of Tasting Gran Canaria is to consolidate Gran Canaria as a Gastronomic Destination. Despite the Canary Islands being considered a holiday destination, and a top sun and beach resort, there is still so much potential for developing a fresh new attraction based on fine local cuisine.

It is worth pointing out that the Gran Canaria Strategic Plan proposes a range of strategic plans related to the tourism sector as a mechanism to develop the primary sector. Among these is the plan to diversify and complement the sector with a selection of sub-products and to link them to the landscape and tourist aspects of the island; promote a greater integration of the working farming regions so that they are also compatible with the development of tourist activities and bolster quality brands such as “Gran Canaria Quality”.

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

With the addition of this latest brand we are attempting to favour a greater visibility of the enogastronomic range on the island, which is already making headway in the promotion of local Gran Canarian products.

Considering the island’s particularities, we are talking about a destination with a wide range of varieties of landscapes, land and products, oscilating between the coast, the hills and the summit. These territories all have their own unique heritage and social and cultural features, which are in turn reflected in their cuisine, and alongside the Canaries’ characteristic orography and subtropical climate, they provide a wide diversity of contrasts and flavours, hard to fully understand given this is such a small territory.

To this end, with the Tasting Gran Canaria brand we are trying to: · Generate events and experiences around an innovative tourist product. · Create added value to tourists’ visit to Gran Canaria and its resources. · Position ourselves as a gastronomic tourist destination. · Create an associated image of quality. · Diversify our tourist offer by interacting with the primary sector. · Expand the supply and demand in tourist services. · Create employment and regenerate the economies of rural areas. · Put a stop to the abandonment of farming and rural areas. · Connect up the natural and cultural heritage of the island, by increasing the tourist potential of our natural and cultural resources.

Tasting Gran Canaria

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Almonds, marzipan and bienmesabe Almond trees were introduced into the Canaries following the

pans and bienmesabes which are popular Christmas products.

conquest of the archipelago, and have a deep-rooted history

These are joined by yet more habitual and no less traditional

in Gran Canaria. They do not just form part of its natural land-

fayre such as polvorones and mantecados, both also made with

scape (at summit regions and other large areas to the sou-

almonds from the island.

theast of the island), its cultivation also has had deep roots in

There has been a marked increase in the consumption of marzi-

popular culture, (with fiestas held here at winter time when the trees are in bloom). It is a key component in the island’s sweet pastry-making, while also being a key ingredient in a range of meat and fish dishes.

pan (a cake-shaped sugar, almond and lemon peel dessert which is baked after a few days of maturing in a raw state) and bienmesabe (with its creamy texture, ideal for accompanying an egg-flan or an ice-cream, obtained by mixing sugar and crushed almonds

There are local professionals who dedicate their lives to the

with egg yolk), and both are now eaten throughout the year, the

buying and selling of almonds, who describe this island’s al-

former an afternoon accompaniment for coffee or infusion, the

monds as being of great quality due to their sweeter flavour

latter as a dessert in its own right.

and higher levels of fat, making them ideal for desserts. It comes as no surprise that the summit municipality of Tejeda

Yuri Millares, December 2017

is famous for its baking industry, with marzipan and bienmesabe made in the purest artisan style.

Almonds also go into other sweet recipes including Canary nougat, typically sold by street sellers at fiestas and which have no connection to the Christmas-style nougats. They are the stars of traditional sweet-making in Gran Canaria, alongside marzi-

Almonds, marzipan and bienmesabe

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Coffee from Agaete The coffee plant arrived in the Canary Islands in the 18th century,

deseases, with the added idiosyncracy of being cultivated in a

specifically in Tenerife, where in 1788 and following a royal decree

European country.

made by King Charles 3rd, a garden was created in the valley of

Culinary journalist and critic José Carlos Capel describes it in one

La Orotava for the acclimatization of exotic plants from the colonies in America and Asia. It made its way from there across to Agaete, in Gran Canaria, during the first half of the 19th century, where it settled in the fertile farming valley, occupying the edges of fields of estates dedicated to the cultivation of subtropical crops.

The French had already spread coffee-growing across the Ame-

of his articles, following his visit to the valley, as “a light infusion, very aromatic and complex, moderately acidic and subtly bitter, with hints of chocolate, liquorice and fruits. A real delicacy”. (El País newspaper, December 2017) Yuri Millares, December 2017

rican continent, and quoted Tenerife in 1803 (through mining engineer Louis Gordier: “With great pleasure I once again saw palm trees, cotton fields, cacti, coffee plants and banana trees”), and in Gran Canaria in 1851 (Phillipe de Kerhallet, hydrographer and seaman: “They have made attempts to cultivate sugar cane and coffee plants”).

The coffee plants are of the typica variety, one of the most ancient types of Coffea arabica, which has been recuperated and has seen its value increased. It is a true exotic variety of coffee, with a very limited production –barely 5,000 kilos are produced in the valley- and for this reason entail high costs, have no plagues or

Coffee from Agaete

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Chorizos and Black Puddings from Teror For generations, popular dialect on this island has given its most

according to researcher and culinary expert Mario Hernández).

appreciated local products the “surname” of the village which

These were adapted to an extent to the tastes and the ingre-

made them famous, providing them with a sense of a seal of

dients available to those who made these products here.

quality. This occurs especially in the case of cold meats, in which

Many small and family-owned meat establishments, who have

the Canaries doesn’t have a particularly long tradition and which are limited to soft paste chorizos and sweet black puddings.

incorporated these old recipes into their their practices, continue to flourish in Teror today. Although their produce reaches

In Gran Canaria (and around the rest of islands too) the “surna-

all the establishments in the food sector on the island (inclu-

me” for their most famous cold meats are given to the town of

ding bars and restaurants, who use them as ingredients in a

Teror, where some butchers –going back several generations

wide range of dishes), for local palates, the sheer joy of biting

now- started to make and sell it coinciding with the traditional

into the popular chorizo from Teror wrapped inside a warm,

period when pigs were sacrificed. Pigs were an essential animal

oven-baked bread roll, especially on market day in the town

in the lives of peasants not too long ago, and if they bred more

every Sunday, is a truly culinary ritual which leaves a sump-

than one they would sell the other one to local butchers who

tuous, lingering taste in the mouth.

would come to the house of the breeder to sacrifice it and then buy the pieces they needed to make their product with.

Yuri Millares, December 2017

These butchers became like pig-rearers themselves who made their cold meats at home and then took them to their own shops to sell them, they brought age-old recipes to their professional activities, which came to the Canaries from several different places (Italian soprassata, Portuguese morcela dolce,

Chorizos and Black Puddings from Teror

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Tropical fruits Near to the Tropic of Cancer and located geographically close

and their corresponding territory (delicate papayas from Gáldar

by the largest sand desert in the world, and bathed in the cool

and La Aldea, sweet tropical pineapples from Gáldar and Guía,

currents from the Gulf and subject to the tradewinds, the Canary

tasty avocados –especially verruga avocados- and mangos

Islands enjoy a subtropical climate which manifests itself, in the

from Mogán) not forgetting others spread around many other

case of Gran Canaria and its uneven terrain, in fertile valleys and

municipalities (guayava fruits, pomegranates and bananas) plus

farming meadows that are ideal for the cultivation of fruit trees,

new crops being successfully introduced thanks the initiatives

even tropical fruits.

of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, who are working hard to gua-

Beyond the famous, tasty Canary bananas, there exists a whole

rantee the future of the agricultural sector (kiwis, dragon fruits,

world of fruity delights which, thanks to the soil and the prevailing climate, are waiting for resident and foreign consumers to come

soursop, lychee, tamarind and star fruits).

Yuri Millares, December 2017

and try them. They receive praise for their special sweet textures, their intense flavours and their freshness due to the fact they are picked locally. Different regions in the north and the south of Gran Canaria specialise in different fruits, thanks to the subtle changes of the micro-climate around the island.

Local cuisine is enriched by these varieties, which alongside more traditional fruits, provide a huge range of sustainable and healthy possibilities thanks to their nutritional and therapeutic properties.

Simply by naming them we can tell exactly where they are grown, strengthening the ties between the quality of the product

Tropical fruits

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Gofio cornmeal The most popular food of all time for Canarians and the best

If the early aborigenes used to make it with the barley they

known outside the islands, gofio, used to be the basic diet for

cultivated, in Gran Canaria it is “millo”, the local word for corn,

aborigenes. It continued to be the main sustenance for the

which is the most popular ingredient, and has been since the

more humble classes, in other words, most of the local popu-

17th century when the cereal first arrived and became the

lation, well into the 20th century too. “The term gofio was gi-

islanders’ favourite due to its goodness and wide range of

ven by the ancient Canarians to toasted and crushed barley. In

uses. They turned it into gofio flour, with its typical toasted

neighbouring Tenerife, the guanche population called it ahoren.

texture and flavour, ideal for both traditional consumption

Through colonization, the word gofio spread to the rest of the

(especially the ever popular “escaldón”, mixed with a broth

islands” says anthropologist Alberto García Quesada.

boiled with fish or meat) and more modern Canary cuisine.

Highly acclaimed by dietry experts and nutritionists, and a

Yuri Millares, December 2017

key ingredient in modern day Canary cuisine of local chefs, it continues to be an ever present at the majority of meal tables around the islands as a complement to breakfast and/or an accompaniment to dinner.

For those who may not know, gofio is a fine flour obtained from the toasting of one or several types of –and we stress- whole cereal. Hence all of its healthy qualities and its high nutritional value (ideal even as baby food from early months of life), it maintains all the cereals’ own goodness, especially its mineral content, as opposed to white flour.

Gofio cornmeal

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Bread (matalahúva, potato, corn and egg varieties) Although there was a time when bread was a luxury for many

ovens to use up left-over boiled potatoes, in paste form mixed

islanders, who only ate it on rare occasions –and maybe preci-

in with flour, yeast, sugar, lemon, cinnamon and oil.

sely for this reason-, Gran Canaria is a real bread-loving island.

These breads today are on display on bakers’ stalls at popular

So much so it has a place in the culinary memory which identified bread with matalahúga as something home made, from the island. It is our “daily bread” from the countryside, an inseparable part of every meal, be it round or oval in shape.

Sunday markets, and are mostly made following artisan methods. The most veteran and busiest of these markets can be found all around the basilica of Our Lady of El Pino, in Teror.

Here visitors can find a specific bread for this open air market

The island’s most traditional breads mainly contain aniseed as

made from eggs. Its dough includes butter, sugar, aniseed,

an ingredient and as a condiment which gives it an identity, toge-

and of course, egg.

ther with the skills of each baker, with women commonly being artists of this age-old trade. But it wasn’t the only one. While on

Yuri Millares, December 2017

the subject of this “bread-loving” island, we should also mention “potato-loving”, a mainstay ingredient in Canary cuisine, and “corn-loving” too, as it has been the most widely used crop here, going into gofio, for cooking, and for feeding cattle.

With these staple foods of corn and potatoes, that farmers could most easily get their hands on, they have also put them into bread, and continue to do so, and like it was years ago, only on special occasions. Currently, weekend bread, especially potato bread, is popular, traditionally baked in domestic

Bread (matalahúva, potato, corn and egg varieties)

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Cheeses from Gran Canaria Gran Canaria is highly acclaimed for its fine cheese-making tradition, reflected in the wide variety of cheeses made here.

This diversity is linked to the differences in climatic conditions and types of countryside on the island, to the excellent breeds of cattle that guarantee the quality of the milk, and the dedicated efforts of shepherds and cheese-makers, who boast an identity steeped in tradition. For instance, for centuries the practices of shepherding and flock migration have been maintained at several locations on the island, a peculiarity that gives the local cheeses some truly unique aromas and flavours on the palate.

Around 3,000 tons of cheese are made on our island every year, of which approximately half correspond to the production of nearly a hundred small scale cheese factories that process raw (non heat treated) milk extracted from their own flocks.

Unsurprisingly Canarians are the Spaniards with the highest levels of cheese consumption in Spain: 15.3 kilos of cheese a year, compared to the national average of 10.4 kilos.

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Characteristics of Cheeses from Gran Canaria: types of Cheese In order to establish a league table of cheeses from Gran Canaria, we need to consider four factors which, all combined together, give rise to a huge variety of cheeses, all of them characterized by their extraordinary quality: 1. The first factor to take into account is the use of raw or pas-

teurized milk. The good health of the local flocks in the Canaries allows cheeses to be produced with raw milk and over a maturing period of under 60 days.

2. Another factor to consider is the type of animal species from

which the milk is obtained for making the cheese, these being sheep, goat and cow. Cheeses are made from each of these animals on an individual basis, and are known as “pure cheeses”. However, it is more common to blend the three kinds of milk in different proportions, with the resultant cheeses combining a richness of flavours and aromas afforded by sheep’s milk, the creaminess of cow’s milk and a touch of acidity and texture of goat’s milk. These cheeses are generically known as “blended cheeses”.

3. The production process of cheese entails the use of a curd-

ling agent that can either be of animal or plant origin. Most of the cheese made on the island uses animal rennet (obtained from the stomachs of lambs and kid goats) while some manufacturers use plant curdling agent to make their cheeses. This quite peculiar curdling agent is obtained from the flowers of the cardoon plant (Cynara cardunculus) macerated in water, which causes the milk to curdle. Gran Canaria is one of the few places around the world which uses this practice. Half flower cheeses are also made, using a mixture of plant curdling agent and animal rennet.

4. The final factor to take into consideration is the maturing time

of the cheeses. These range from soft to semi-mature and mature cheese. Soft cheeses have a maturing time of under 7 days, semi-mature cheeses take anything from 20 days to 35 days depending on their weight, while mature cheese take from 45 to 105 days.

In general terms, cheeses from Gran Canaria are pressed paste and cylindrical in shape, featuring tones from ivory white to a straw-yellow colour, depending on the mixtures of milk used in the preparation and the maturing time. When sliced they may have tiny cavities, typical of raw milk production. They are often

Cheeses from Gran Canaria

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noted for their sweet taste with bitter touches too, mixed with a kind of toasted aroma. As for their rind, they are traditionally made out of oil, gofio or paprika.

Denomination of origin Due to the climate, the hilly areas to the northwest of Gran Canaria generally provide a good environment for the rearing of goats, sheep and cows. To this end, the cheeses are tradi-

The Gran Canaria Official Cheese Contest

tionally made from blends of the three milks, with sheep’s milk

The Gran Canaria Official Cheese Contest began back in 1993,

usually dominating. The cheeses made in the municipalities of

with the aim of boosting and promoting locally made cheeses.

Santa María de Guía, Gáldar and Moya, are known as “Guía

The quality of cheeses to have entered the competition since

cheeses” because they always used to be sold there.

its inception has grown noticeably year on year.

Currently, these cheese have their own Protected Denomina-

The sampling of the product is assessed and headed by a

tion of Origin seal, called “Guía Flower Cheese, Guía Half

Jury which looks to the compliance of competition rules.

Flower Cheese and Guía Cheese”. They all include the three traditional types of cheese: flower, half flower and animal rennet.

from denomination of origin regulatory boards, along with

The flower cheeses have their own characteristic textures and

representatives from public administrations, and restaurant

creaminess. They can even be spread and eaten with a spoon.

They also have their own particular slightly bitter flavour.

The half flower cheeses are also very creamy in texture and have a light, bitter touch, although less intense than their flower cheese counterparts.

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There to rate the cheeses is a panel of experts brought in

owners and professionals. The sampling process involves assessing different aspects of the cheeses, including their aroma, flavour and overall appearance.

The best locally made CHEESE obtains the GOLD MEDAL Check out the winners of the Official Cheese Competition of Gran Canaria at: www.grancanaria.com/turismo/es/gastronomia/catas-insulares/

Quesos de Gran Canaria

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PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Sea Salt Little is known about how salt was used by the Canarian abo-

producing 8 to 10 harvests a year of fresh, less concentra-

rigenes, although we do know they used to collect it from rock

ted salt, with a non-bitter taste and with its corresponding

puddles that occurred at high tide. This practice has continued

trace elements”, as opposed to lower quality salt produced

through to the present day at certain regions of the archipelago.

at extensive continental salt lakes. “The quality of the salt is

From the 16th century onwards, however, the Canary Islands

inversely proportional to the size of the recipient”, he insists.

saw a good number of salt lakes spring up around its coastli-

Gran Canarian sea salt, which no longer supplies the fishing

nes, many built to provide supplies for salt preservation for its fishing industry.

industry, now has its natural market –with its recognized and acclaimed quality- in the local food industry, and especially in

Of the 50 salt lakes listed on the archipelago’s official inventory

gastronomy. The salt lake at Tenefé (which is now a Cultural

called The Salt Garden, a true bibliography jewel, the majority

Park) boasts a string of embassador chefs there.

have sadly disappeared or little remains are to be found of them.

There are nine left here in the 21st century, five of them in Gran

Yuri Millares, December 2017

Canaria, where there were once a dozen: these include one in the north, the only primitive salt lake on the islands that stands on rock, and the other four in the southeast, two of them declared Sites of Cultural Interest, at Arinaga and Tenefé.

The main characteristics of all of these is that they are traditional, intensive facilities, with small sized pools where the sea salt is crystalized. According to specialist Alberto Luengo in his report “The Canaries provide the best farming conditions,

Sea Salt

39

PRODUCTS OF Gran Canaria

Wines from Gran Canaria Grapevines were introduced into the Canaries by the Castilian Conquerors in the 15th century, and became the dominant crop.

The Canary grape became famous around the world, being known as Malmsey Canary Wine, or simply Canary wine. It is worth remembering that the Canaries were a vitally important location for sailing routes between Europe and America, meaning they had access to a range of winery products from all around the world. However, a series of unfortunate historical events (competition from wines from Andalusia, a breakdown in relations with Great Britain and the appearance of desease in grapevines, among others), led to wine-making falling off considerably for over a century.

Then in the 1990s, the wine industry on the island began to recover, in the form of a small number of winegrowers in different areas, who restructured the cultivation systems that enabled new working practices and new technological advances, achieving a balance between deep-rooted tradition and cutting edge technology. Alongside this, the wine industry modernized facilities at their bodegas and improved their wine-making processes.

Parallel to these efforts, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria has developed different lines of research and services to farmers to bolster their efforts while helping to preserve the traditional Canary countryside.

Characteristics of Gran Canaria’s wines The Canaries enjoy a wide range of wine varieties, and considering that the phylloxera plague didn’t affect the region, low vine stumps can still be cultivated today, without having to resort to root grafting. For this reason, unique varieties on a world level can be obtained, with all the benefits that come with it, namely plant longevity offering a great purity of wine.

Meanwhile, due to the specific climatic conditions in the Canaries, grapevines can be cultivated at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 1,500 metres above sea level, allowing for the existence of many different varieties in a tiny territory, while obtaining grapes with different oenological characteristics out of any single variety. There are currently around 35 different varieties of vines in the Canaries.

These advancements to the sector led to improvements in the quality of production and profitability of wine in Gran Canaria.

Wines from Gran Canaria

41

The Denomination of Origin of Gran Canaria The Gran Canaria designation of origin (PDO), attained in 2006 by consolidating the two that the island already had, the PDO Gran Canaria and PDO Monte Lentiscal, covers all the island’s wine-growing areas. The Regulatory Council is located in the municipality of Santa Brígida Bridget and has a total of 47 registered wineries, 37 of which are bottling.

The Gran Canaria PDO protects and controls the work of its winegrowers and wineries, to guarantee the quality of the wines sold.

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Commercial brands of the Denomination of Origin of Gran Canaria AGALA Tejeda www.bodegasbentayga.com

EIDAN Santa Brígida bodegasventura@gmail.com

LA MONTAÑA Vega de San Mateo conjema@yahoo.es

PLAZA PERDIDA Las Palmas de G.C. www.bodegasplazaperdida.com

AYA Telde www.bodegahinojo.com

EL ARMERO Vega de San Mateo 629 312 498

BELIANDRA Vega de San Mateo 650 184 285

EL CAPÓN Las Palmas de G.C. bodegacapon@gmail.com

LAS TIRAJANAS San Bartolomé de Tirajana www.bodegaslastirajanas.com

RINCÓN DEL GUINIGUADA Santa Brígida jodesan10@gmail.com

BODEGA LOS LIRIOS Las Palmas de G.C. bodegaloslirios.com

EL CERRILLAL Gáldar bodegasviejoanton5@gmail.com

LAVA Santa Brígida bodegalava@gmail.com

SEÑORÍO DE AGÜMES Agüimes ysantana@aguimes.es

BODEGA SAN JUAN Santa Brígida bodega-sanjuan.com

FINCA EL TRONCÓN Valsequillo joseluis.ramoscabrera@gmail.com

LOS BERRAZALES Agaete www.bodegalosberrazales.com

SEÑORÍO DE CABRERA Telde senoriodecabrera.com

BODEGÓN VANDAMA Santa Brígida bodegonvandama.com

FRONTÓN DE ORO Vega de San Mateo frontondeoro@hotmail.com

LOSOYOS Las Palmas de G.C. abaezc@telefonica.net

VIÑA AGUAYRO Agüimes 629 511 846

CALDERA Santa Brígida www.bodegahoyosdevandama.com

GRAN MOGAREN Valsequillo mario.reyes@vinofilos.net

MONDALÓN Las Palmas de G.C. www.mondalon.com

VIÑA AMABLE Gáldar vegadegaldar.com

CALETÓN Gáldar

ondina@ondinasurf.com

LA HIGUERA MAYOR Las Palmas de G.C. www.lahigueramayor.com

ORO BLANCO San Bartolomé de Tirajana secretaria@gruposantanacazorla.com

VIÑA MONTEALTO Santa Brígida jflick@grupoflick.com

PEÑA RAJADA Tejeda desdelacaldera@gmail.com

VOLCÁN Santa Brígida bodegavolcan@gmail.com

Wines from Gran Canaria

43

Types of Wine in Gran Canaria The product of 35 different kinds of grapevines and all their possible combinations, Gran Canaria is home to a wide range of red and white wines, semi-sweet, sweet, strong and rosé wines.

Red Wines: These reds are claret, cherry, picota cherry and ruby in colour, and suggest violet hints from mid to high layers, being clean and bright in presentation. Their olfactory intensity varies from medium to very high, with aromas of red fruits, together with hints of pepper, tobacco, chocolate and so on, depending on the varieties used in their processing. In cask vintage wines these aromas blend in with hints of their oak casks (clove, liquorice, vanilla and cinnamon). Gran Canarian reds possess a great intensity in the mouth, with red fruit flavours mixed with the spices mentioned above. Their tannins are sweet, balanced and integrated within the structure of the wine, being ample and persistent.

White Wines: These are clean and brilliant wines, and pale straw yellow in colour. They possess touches ranging from greeny to gold. They present a medium to very high intensity on the nose, with aromas of tropical fruits, banana, pear, apple

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and citric fruits, hints of fennel, aniseed and green tobacco, with floral hints, depending on the varieties that have gone into the wine-making process. They have an intense, structured flavour, leaving a persistent, lingering taste in the mouth.

Semi-sweet, sweet and strong wines: The visual phase to these wines goes from a straw yellow tone to amber, gold and even mahogany colour. They are clean and brilliant wines. The have a high olfactory intensity, with strong and varied aromas (peach, lychee, orange, kiwi, lemon, jasmine, rose, etc). It has a pleasant taste on the palate, with good acidity, a wide range, lightly honey-flavoured, a spark, and great persistence.

Rosé wines: These rose-coloured wines have violet tints, and are of low to mid intensity. They are clean and brilliant. They have subtle aromas with hints of strawberry, and lightly confitted red fruits. In its tasting phase, it has a pleasant flavour on the tongue, with a marked acidity, a very high intensity and has great structure.

Wines from Gran Canaria

45

The Gran Canaria Wine Tasting Event This annual event has been held since 1996, and came about as a response to the demands of the wine industry and the need for their products to be recognised. In 2006 it became an Officially Recognised Contest. The objectives of the contest are to promote the quality of the wines through an organoleptic assessment, to select the finest bottled wines on the island, and to reward and highlight the hard work put in by the wine growers and bodega owners.

This is a public contest, and as such is open to any bodega on the island who belongs to and meets the requirements established at the Denomination of Origin of Gran Canaria association. The sampling session is held on a “blind tasting” basis, featuring a jury composed of a regional team of professional tasters, and habilitated by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing and Waters of the Government of the Canary Islands.

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The best WINE ON THE ISLAND obtains the GOLD MEDAL Check out the winners of the Island Wine Sampling Contest at: www.grancanaria.com/turismo/es/gastronomia/catas-insulares/

Los vinos de Gran Canaria

47

The Agricultural, Livestock and Fishing Markets of Gran Canaria The Agricultural, Livestock and Fishing Markets have been operating since July 2008, and emerged as a response to a demand for a direct sales outlet for the island’s primary sector products. To this end, the Cabildo government has set up an area at its Experimental Agricultural Farm, to facilitate the showcasing and sale of products made by the island’s farmers, shepherds and fishermen, and to boost local consumption.

Facilities are opened up to the sector at least two Saturdays every month, with around 45 producers from Gran Canaria participating on each occasion.

This market offers top local products at highly reasonable prices, as it avoids intermediaries, and also serves as an information and dissemination point on many diverse aspects of the primary sector on the island and its production. Most of the products described in this publication are readily available there.

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Since April 2013, an institutional stall has been set up which focuses on aspects of one particular product every fortnight, and operates as an information platform for people to consult any queries or issues pertaining to the primary sector. The stall also holds children’s activities based on the theme of the day.

The Agricultural, Livestock and Fishing Markets of Gran Canaria

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The Cabildo’s Agricultural, Livestock and Fishing Market offers a huge range of products, including fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, as well as manufactured products such as cheese, honey, oil, bread and bakery products.

When you come shopping at our Markets, as well as enjoying great savings: · You are supporting the local economies of our farmers, shepherds and fishermen · You are helping to preserve a cultural heritage linked to this sector · You are promoting healthy, nutritional and quality, original foods · You are discovering the great wealth and aromas of local products · You are helping to reduce emissions of CO2 in transport costs · You are increasing the quality of life in the primary sector

More information at: www.facebook.com/mercadoagricolaganaderoypesqueroGC

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