Monday, June 02, 2008
Half a ton of gofio in the form of Mount Teide
To celebrate D�a de Canarias (Canaries Day) on Friday, May 30th, the Tres de Mayo shopping center (in the avenue of the same name) in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz, offered a giant pella (sorta like a cake) of gofio to customers.
The 500 kilos of gofio, mixed with water, raisins, almonds, honey and sugar (in a very big mixing bowl, I imagine), formed into a model of Tenerife's Mount Teide, was made by staff of the Monkey Beach Club restaurant, in Playa de Las Am�ricas.
There seems to be no precedent for a "world's biggest pella" and it probably deserves a mention in Guinness World Records. But, as Lo que pasa en Tenerife, tell us, being a bank holiday, there weren't too many people in the shopping center, so had we known, we're sure we'd have been able to get a piece. 
Gofio: This toasted, milled grain product that was first eaten by the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands and, still is by many residents today.
Gofio can be served sweet, as the giant pella was, or savory, as an accompaniment (and filler) to fish or meat dishes.
The secondary school in Garachico show you how to make a Pella de gofio, step by step in photos, on their blog.
It's so simple, you hardly need a translation and, no cooking is required.
Here's lots more about gofio and the various ways it's served (in Spanish), with photos and, a video, which shows all sorts of images from the local gastronomy. Watch that while you're hungry and you'll be drooling on your keyboard! :)
La Despensa will tell you even more about gofio (in English) and, you can now buy gofio online with delivery locally, nationally, or to all of Europe.
2 Comments:
Sheila, Canary Islands wrote (on
June 06, 2008 4:35 PM)
I rather like gofio. Well, I rather like it with milk for breakfast, and a rather like it with stock (in place of potatoes). Gofio amasado (gofio kneaded with water) is pretty bland, but I love chicharones - pork scratchings with gofio.
do you like gofio ?