Dia de Canarias, Tenerife

Celebrated every year on the 30^th May to commemorate the anniversary of the first session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Dia de Canarias is one of its biggest public holidays.

The Drop Inn in Las Americas is hosting its own celebrations and locals and tourists alike are welcomed with open arms to sit in the glorious afternoon sun and enjoy complimentary food and cider tastings. Members of staff are dressed in national costume and dance to authentic Spanish music, streamed from speakers propped in the restaurant’s windows.

Fresh tuna is served with Canarian potatoes, which are cooked in salt water and left until the pan has boiled dry, leaving a salty coating on their skins. Small toasts are spread with Almogrote, a hard goat’s cheese and pepper paste, originating from the Canarian island of Gomero. The dish is served with traditional Canarian Mojo sauce, made from a blend of olive oil, garlic, paprika and cumin. There are three varieties (red, green and orange) and this red sauce is particularly spicy (an ice cold beer is the perfect accompaniment!).

Local cuisine served on plastic plates, combined with sunshine and sea air evokes that wonderful fiesta atmosphere typical of street parties and festivals, where people enjoy their own mini creation of a national occasion. It’s a simple delight.

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