Part of the fun of going on holiday is sampling the local fare and if your destination is Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, there are plenty of tasty dishes which you might like to try.
As is usually the case with holiday resorts, choose your cafes and restaurants with care. A lot of restaurants cater for tourists, cooking their interpretations of "British food" or "Irish food" and this often disappoints since very few Canarian cooks (or Canarians themselves for that matter) have ever visited either place.
For example, Canarians tend to cook everything (well not everything, but nearly everything) on a "plancha" which is a hot metal griddle. Meat and fish cook well on this contraption but fried eggs "a la plancha" are not so great. At least they bounce right back up if you drop one.
Eat Like the Locals
So, forget the tourist places and head to a real Canarian bar, cafe or restaurant. If you are in Playa del Ingles try anywhere in San Fernando.
If you are in Puerto Rico, head to Balcon Canario in the lower main shopping centre. Anywhere in Las Palmas or Vecindario is fine, since there are not many tourists in these areas and therefore the food is more geared towards locals (and cheaper too!)
You will see boards outside the authentic places with a price (usually between five and ten euros) and a "menu" which means a set meal. Choose a starter, a main course and a dessert. This is where your phrase book comes in handy unless you are feeling very adventurous!
What About Breakfast?
Unless you are staying in an all-inclusive hotel or somewhere a breakfast buffet is included in the price of your trip, you might like to try a Canarian style breakfast.
Forget the cornflakes or Marmite on toast. A Canarian breakfast tends to be a long baguette with salami, cheese, pork loin or tuna. Omelette is another tasty filling. Order a "bocata" for a small one or a "bocadillo" for a long one and make sure you get a carajillo on the side, since this combination of strong coffee and brandy is sure to wake you up! Freshly squeezed orange juice is delicious too and Canarian oranges are super juicy.
Tasty Tapas and Mouthwatering Meals
One of the best ways to try Canarian food is to order a tapas place and you can get these in pretty much any cafe or restaurant. The Canarian cheese is especially good.
You will get a plate full of tapas and some bread and ali-oli (garlic mayonnaise) on the side. Typical tapas include papas con mojo, which are small, wrinkled potatoes with a piquant sauce, anchovies, olives, cheese, jamon serrano (cured ham) and tomato and onion salad. Tapas are popular at lunchtime or as a late afternoon snack.
If you want something a little more substantial, try a puchero Canario (a lentil-rich stew), pescado a la plancha (fresh grilled fish) or gambas al ajillo (prawns in sizzling hot oil with garlic). A lot of Canarian cooking is very traditional and if you enjoy tasting new foods you will love the culinary aspect of your holiday in Gran Canaria.