Canarian cooking is mediterranean in style but with its own unique character. There is a distinct preference for traditional farm products and meats, with low reliance on fatty foods. Gofio, a traditional staple of the islands, has its roots in prehispanic Canarian culture. Made from ground and toasted maize or wheat, gofio is highly nutritious and can be eaten as a dough mix, with savoury foods such as fish, or optionally in milk as a drink. There are also a number of excellent cheeses made on the island, some of which have excelled in national and international competitions.

In addition to beef, pork is the most revered medium for traditional meat dishes. Roast leg of pork, prepared to a special recipe, is one of the most commonly-encountered delicacies on the island.

There are a number of special island dishes, to include dried, salted fish dishes, fish soup and a variety of meat stews with vegetables. Stews and thick soups are the most commonly encountered Canarian recipes.

Potato stews and watercress soups occupy prominent positions on traditional menus.

Fish is probably the most common Canarian staple, be it fresh or salted, and usually accompanied by one of the large selection of 'Mojo' sauces. Mojo is made in a range of strengths and flavours, from the extremely hot and spicy to the medium and very mild varieties. .

Salted fish (usually sea bream, stone bass and wreckfish - these species have no English equivalents) is the basis for a traditional fish stew recipe known as 'Sancocho'. .

Potatoes, cooked in a number of different ways, traditionally accompany the main course. Perhaps the most popular are the aptly named 'wrinkled potatoes' 'Papas arrugadas', which are boiled in extremely salty water and eaten with hot 'Mojo' sauce.

Both traditional and foreign-style desserts are available on the island.

Papas arruga's

Various shellfish and a range of domestic and tropical fruits completes this brief review of delicious Canarian cuisine.