CUISINE

The traditional cuisine of the Canary Islands is rich in tastes. Its most common foods are potatoes, tomatoes, watercress, and seafood such as vieja, cuttlefish, and bass. The most typical meat dishes are stews, oven-cooked or fried meals with pork, rabbit and lamb. Goat milk is an essential ingredient in the cheese of the Canary Islands, which may be fresh, mature, semi-mature, and even smoked. Tenerife also has a wide offer of wine.

Gofio (ground and toasted cereal) is undoubtedly one of the most representative foods in the Canary homes. People make a dough with water and no baking, mixing it with stews, milk, honey, almonds, etc.

Guachinches used to be traditional eating areas with home-made meals made from wine-related products from Tenerife, specially in northern municipalities, in the patios of the houses, where tapas were offered. But with the time they evolved into real restaurants with all kinds of home-made stews and typical dishes from Tenerife.

In the past the cuisine offer of the guachinches was restricted because official restaurants complained about the competition the guachinches were, not being regulated. Currently there are regulations that this kind of places may only open for certain occasions in order to promote the wine harvest.  

The word "guachinche is believed to come from the English expression "I'm watching you," used by the English customers ready to try the wine before buying it, and the Canary wine grower would say "Is there a guachinche?"