Gofio — The Legacy of the Guanches
Gofio is the oldest food of the Canaries — and perhaps the most unusual. It is roasted cereal flour (traditionally from barley or wheat, today also from corn or mixtures) that the Guanches produced even before the Spanish conquest. The roasting (Tueste) gives the flour its characteristic nutty, slightly caramel-like taste.
Gofio is not a dish, but a staple food used in countless ways:
- Gofio Escaldado: The flour is kneaded into a firm paste with hot fish broth and served as a side dish — classic fisherman's cuisine
- Gofio Amasado: Kneaded with honey, almonds, and sometimes raisins into a sweet mass — a popular dessert and children's snack
- In milk coffee: Many Canarians stir a spoonful of Gofio into their Café con Leche in the morning — it fills you up and gives you energy
- As a thickening agent: In stews and soups
- Gofio ice cream: A modern interpretation offered in many ice cream parlors — surprisingly delicious
In every Canary supermarket, there are various Gofio varieties. The mills (Molinos) on the islands — especially the traditional windmills on Fuerteventura — are partly still in operation and can be visited.
