Culinary from La Palma

Women of all countries could follow the example of it. Because it is wrinkled, it even thinks of a facelift, and it still looks good enough to eat. We're talking about the Papa Arrugada. The sea salt crystals white-breaded potatoe is the example of palmerian kitchen: Rustic - but just delicious.

It tastes like the food from your mothers kitchen when palmerian cooks serve their stews. The soups are cooked once with an insert of chicken, beef or pork, sometimes goats or rabbit. Potatoes, chickpeas, cabbage, pumpkin, green or white beans, chayote, leek, peppers, courgette, tomatoes and of course onions and garlic be always combined in different styles. Fresh herbs and bay leaves provide aroma and suddenly gives you the feeling to eat another portion.

Equally delicious are the palmerian soups. Like the famous soup “Sopa de Picadillo”, a chicken soup with boiled eggs, croutons and a mint leaf. But also the stews prepared from lentils, kale, chard, cress or chickpeas are delicious. Especially when chorizos are add in the soup. Chorizos are hot pepper sausages.

Simple but tasty food was born around the world, because it was necessary, so as well in La Palma. A few landowners sat for centuries on monocultures such as wine and sugar cane and became rich through the export of the products. For most of the Palmeros was hardly anything left. The very poor Palmeros were eating bread made from fern roots or were migrated, because of their hunger, to South America. Happy were already those who could buy Gofio. Because that from different cereal mixed flour consumes energy immediately. This flour enjoys today big popularity. Children get it with milk, Gofio thicken soup and wrapped fried bacon (called chicharrones). The Gofio - greaves are difficult to get used to, but it makes sure that the palmerian Vino will not knock your socks off.

The monoculture history of the island and the resulting exodus had only one advantage - the culinary way. Today, brought by the returnees from Venezuela, corn dishes like Arepas enrich the palmerian kitchen. Sweet desserts like bienmesabe with almond cream or the numerous of almond biscuit creations are from the sugarcane period. And the in the 16th century internationally acclaimed wines of La Palma meet the tastes of wine lovers.

The fine wines that really matured, vinified and bottled in La Palma are called Teneguía, Carballo, Hoyo de Mazo, Mazegas, Tamanca, Tendal, Viña Etna and Vitega. Only they are allowed to print on the label the indication of origin "Denominación de Origen La Palma". The bottles contain varieties like Malvaiser, Negramoll, Listan, Sabro, Verdello, Muskateller, Bujariego, Gual, Albillo, Almuñeco, Gutedeltraube or Prieto.

For all those who search the other truth in the wine order on La Palma a “Vino de Tea”. This wine tastes resinous, because it matures in the barrels from the wood of the Canary pine.

Palmerian wines - especially the Malvaiser - received again and again international awards. Reason: The vines not only get strong sun, they get their unique taste from the mineral-rich volcanic ash La Palma. This is not only used by the major wine barons, also by the private Viticultores. The small wine-growers are proud of their own wine, they drink it themselves in their bodegas or they sell it to bars and restaurants. The self produced wine, whether red or white, usually has a dry and bitter character - and fits perfectly with fish or meat. Correct: The desperately poor days are over, now comes a piece of meat on the table in La Palma.

The Palmeros love short-fried meat “a la plancha”, as well meat in roasting style and palmerian- goulash, called “Carne en Salsa”. During a Fiesta a suckling pig turns above the grill, which later gets dunked in Mojo Rojo. For this sauce of red peppers every housewife has her special recipe that comes sometimes mild and sometimes really hot.

Always mild are Mojo Verde or Mojo Cilandro. This puree sauces made from green peppers, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano or cilantro are served with the fish. In the clean Atlantic Ocean of La Palma swims stonebass, gilthead, swordfish, sardines, tuna and many other good tasting fishes. The perch, gilthead seabreams, mackerel, sardines and tuna can be served in the restaurant or can be bought in the morning at the fisherman in the Port of Tazacorte.

To complete the culinary tour of the creative palmerian cuisine the cheese should not be missing. The cheese is made from goat's milk and is very mild. To give the “Queso de Cabra” a little bang, the producers hang it in the smoke. And the Palmeros prepare the cheese on its popular Plancha: The goat cheese gets roasted, mojo verde over it - fits as a starter as well as a main course for vegetarians.

Buen provecho - Enjoy your meal!

We report about actual trends relating to food and drink on the Isla Bonita in our La Palma 24-Journal under the headings "Delicious" and "Gastro" – just choose the area in the orange navigation bar - click here.