The gastronomy of La Gomera is part of the Canarian gastronomy which is one of the most surprising gastronomies in Spain, with all those singularities that provide it with unique characteristics. It is based on high-quality products that have been grown by our own inhabitants. It is a tasty, varied, and healthy cuisine that includes amazing dishes preserving the essence of our gastronomy to the maximum. We usually served plentiful servings in our meals. Do you want to join us for a walk through the typical cuisine of our island?
Let's start with one of the jewels of the crown: cheese. It is made out of goat milk or a mixture of goat and sheep milks. The specialties of the island are: fresh, semi-cured, and cured or "hard" cheeses. Semi-cured cheeses have been awarded as the third best cheese of the world by the prestigious International WorldCheeseAward. The cheese of La Gomerais very important for our gastronomy. It is one of its main ingredients of one of our most peculiar products: The Almogrote.
The almogrote isa mixture of cured goat cheese with a coarse-textured pate; it is slightly spicy. Using completely native products, we add to this one garlic, red picona peppers and tomato; and it is mixed with olive oil. It has an intense flavor; and it is usually smeared on a piece of bread. The mojo gomero is also another very popular product of our cuisine. It is sauce normally eaten with wrinkled potatoes and it can be perfectly combined with fresh fish from the island. Some of the most outstanding mojos are the green mojo that is made from fresh cilantro or parsley; and the red pepper mojo, which can vary from intense to mild spicy flavor.
The Gofio Gomero, is a mixture of cereals and grains, whose origin goes back thousands and thousands of years ago. It is the result of mixing corn, wheat and barley in different quantities. There are various ways of preparing it. It has a strong flavor and it is highly valued for its excellent nutritional properties, as it contains fiber, vitamins and minerals. The local company "Gofio Gomero de Hermigua" has managed to win several awards that certify them as a producer of the Best Canary Islands Gofio.
Another typical product of La Gomera is the watercress stew. The watercress is a plant of dark green leaves and small white flowers, which contains high amounts of calcium, iodine and iron. It is the main ingredient of this typical dish although it is combined with other vegetables such as pumpkins, bubangos (zucchini) and it is always served with a piece of "Piña Millo" (a name given to the cornon the cob). It is a perfect dish for winter, and it is perfect to eat after completing a long walk through the laurel forest in The Garajonay National Park.
The sweets from La Gomera is an authentic specialty of our land and they have been widely recognized as artisanal and quality products. There are several types of sweets and they are all based on traditional recipes. We count with a huge variety of biscuits and cakes. In fact, our cookies are one of our most popular sweets. They are made with cinnamon, lemon, and anise or "matalahúva". The delicious “rosquetes de alma” (ring shaped pastries) are one type of our typical cookies. They are topped with almonds, and also have cinnamon and lemon among their ingredients, but we also include a very particular ingredient in their making process: lard.
We can also mention the Vilanacake, which is a typical Christmas dessert made with flour, sugar, almonds, raisins, butter and potatoes. The curd cake is made with cheesefom the island and matalahúva as its main ingredients.
In La Gomera, we havea long homemade marmalade tradition. Marmalades are made from fruits grown on our island such as mangoes, papayas, guava, figs or dates. In our culture, we also called "sweet" to those marmalades made from vegetables: tomato, pumpkin or angel hair. They have similar texture and appearance to marmalades, since their production processes are practically the same, and they have been homemade since antiquity.
In addition, La Gomera also offers a wide variety of breads; from potato bread or corn bread to the puño bread. The only one with a sweet flavor is the "egg bread:” a typical type of bread with the shape of a cake, covered with sugar, and ideal to eat with the main course.
Palm honey is a very peculiar product too, since it is singular syrup, with an unique taste. It is obtained from the sap of the guarapo tree, which has to be boiled for hours until it acquires the desired consistency. It should not be mistaken with regular honey, as they have almost nothing in common. Its properties are mainly restorative, and it is also used to help detox your body. Palm honey is found in a large number of dishes and, above all, it is widely used in pastries and desserts. We mix it with grape brandy to prepare one of our most typical drinks of La Gomera: the gomerón (liquor gomero).
Wines from La Gomera have a quality certificate: The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The cultivation of the grape is not easy due to our complex orography; and farmers have had to adapt to the slopes of the land. Our most famous one is the young white wine, made with a variety of grape called "forastera blanca". However, the young red wine has become very important in recent years, and it has being increasingly valued by experts. Our white and red wines are soft, aromatic, and balanced on the palate.
Would you like to know our secret? The perfect fusion: our native fruits, culinary art, and preserved traditions. At Hotel Jardín Tecina we express our gratitude for our rich gastronomy by showing to our guests the traditions of our land and the best of its cuisine.