This farm in the south west of the island isn’t a stereotypical Tenerife holiday scene. The Canary Islands have long been a haven for sun-seeking Britons, and Tenerife – the largest – drew 2.8 million British visitors in 2024. Data from INE, Spain’s national statistics institute, shows that tourist numbers to the Canaries continue to increase, by more than nine per cent last year.
square TRAVEL Seven lesser-known European holiday destinations where the locals go
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But the industry is integral to the Canary Islands’ economy, accounting for around 35 per cent of GDP.
Producers are working to spotlight the island’s distinctive cuisine and the agricultural heritage behind it. As someone with a keen interest in cooking, and a curiosity about new cuisine, I’m here to see what’s on offer.
As a stopover for Spanish ships returning from the Americas from the late 15th century, the islands began to cultivate crops from the new world – potatoes, tomatoes, corn, chillies, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple and avocado. This gives Canarian cuisine more tropical flavours, and spice, compared to mainland Spain.
Queseria Montesdeoca, which farms goats and sheep, sells many products made from goat’s milk (Photo: Supplied)“The Canary Islands are one of the highest cheese-consuming regions in Spain,” Adriana Petkov, the factory’s marketing manager tells me.
Joia El Mirador by Iberostar is among the places to indulge in the island’s cuisine (Photo: Supplied)
Back at my hotel, I find out how traditional dishes are evolving at restaurant El Cenador. It spills on to a courtyard that’s framed with dragon plants and has views of a palm-lined seafront. I try bready pastry filled with amberjack (fished around the Canaries) and egg yolk cream and topped with caviar and tartare of carabinero, a crustacean also found in the islands’ waters. It’s served with strawberry and tiger’s milk (a spicy, citrus flavour) sorbet.
Most memorable is a spongy dessert, made from Canarian potatoes and served with white chocolate and orange blossom sauce.
Costa Adeje is typically a destination for sun, sea and sand (Photo: Getty)
Some bottles on the menu come from Altos de Trevejos, a winery about 20 minutes away. At 1,300 metres above sea level, it’s one of Europe’s highest vineyards.
At the winery’s culinary workshop, 93-year-old Tinerfeño Don Antonio teaches me how to grind ingredients such as cumin and chillies into mojo rojo (a spicy Canarian sauce).
Newer restaurants are taking a more avant-garde approach to Tenerife’s cuisine. “Our concept is local produce manipulated as little as possible – we want the ingredient to speak,” says Gara Morales of Colmado 1917, a 10-seater chef’s table in Santa Cruz.
“We buy produce from a lady at the market who I’ve been buying from since I was a child,” Gara says. “Our bread is from my friend [Pedro’s bakery] about 20 minutes away.” The restaurant’s flavour-packed plates (ranging from €4-15) attract a 50/50 local and tourist crowd.
Back at the cheese factory, Adriana points to a sunset bar being built onsite.From next year, customers will be able to enjoy Montesdeoca cheeses with Tenerife wines, views of La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma and a soundtrack of live Spanish guitar and bleating sheep. I’ll be back for a farmside aperitif.
Booking it
easyJet holidays has a seven-night stay at Joia el Mirador by Iberostar, Costa Adeje from £1,307pp, including flights from the UK, transfers and 23kg of luggage, easyjet.com/en/holidays
More information
iberostar.comhellocanaryislands.com/tenerife
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Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( I went on a food tour of Tenerife, and saw another side to the island )
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