When I arrived in the Canary Islands, I expected to find lots of fresh seafood and tropical fruits. With excitement and curiosity, I made a trip to the Mercado de Vegueta, a lively market in the heart of the city. The moment I stepped inside, I was amazed by all the vibrant colors. There were towers of exotic fruits and vegetables and rows of fresh fish on ice.
As I wandered from stall to stall, something unexpected caught my eye. There was a vendor selling nothing but… flour? I could tell, though, that this wasn’t the fine, white flour I am used to seeing back home. It was light brown, coarser in texture, and labeled "GOFIO". I asked the vendor, “¿Qué es el gofio?” (“What’s gofio?”). He chuckled and replied, “Where are you from?”
With a smile, he explained that gofio is a flour made from roasted grains and has been a staple of Canarian cuisine for centuries. It dates back to use by the Guanches, the indigenous people of the islands. Even today, it’s everywhere: stirred into warm milk, mixed into stews, sprinkled over fruit and baked into many different desserts.
I knew I couldn't leave without trying it, so I grabbed a bag and set off on my first gofio adventure.
