Food & Drink
The cuisine of the Canaries offers many dishes based on fish, which are usually served with potatoes and a special sauce called mojo picón. The traditional dishes are watercress soup and the popular sancocho canario, a fish salad with a lovely hot sauce. Locally grown bananas, tomatoes, avocados and papayas also play an very important part in the Canaries’ cuisine. Corn meal, wheat flour, pre-roasted corn or barley are eaten instead of bread with certain local dishes. The local pastries include the excellent tirijalas, bienmesabes, frangollo, bizcochos lustrados, quesadillas, rapaduras y marquesotes, meat pies and ‘nougats’ of corn meal and molasses.
In the main resorts, restaurants offer a good range of international cuisine, as well as local delicacies. Often restaurants cater for the tastes of some particular nationalities.
A full range of wines, spirits and liqueurs from throughout the world is available in the canaries. Spanish wines and spirits are particularly good value and spirits are slightly cheaper than in the United Kingdom. Local beers are pilsner-type lagers and, on the whole, rather a little weak. Local wines are also produced and other drinks originating from the islands are rum, honey-rum and Malmsey wine.
Shopping
Besides the excellent duty-free shopping, there many local items to tempt the visitor. Craftsmanship is represented mainly by skilled open-work and embroidery. Pottery, basket-work based on palm leaves, cane and reed and delicate woodcarvings are also very popular. Tobacco produced here is excellent and world famous. Cigars from the Canary Islands are outstanding in quality.
Shopping hours: Monday-Saturday 0900-1300 hrs and 1630-1930 hrs.
Social Conventions
Spanish life has undergone rapid change in recent years and many of the stricter religious customs are giving way to the more modern ways, particularly in the cities and among young women.
Nonetheless, many old customs, manners and traditions have not faded and hospitality, courtesy and chivalry remain important. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone’s house. If invited to a private home, a small gift is appreciated. Flowers are only sent for special celebrations.
Conservative casual wear is widely acceptable. Some of the hotels and restaurants encourage men to wear jackets. A black tie is only necessary for very formal occasions and is usually specified if required. Outside resorts, scanty beachwear should be confined to beach or poolside.
Smoking is widely accepted. The evening meal is taken late, generally 2100 hrs-2200 hrs. The Spanish have two family names, in conversation only the first should be used.
Tipping: Service charges and taxes are usually included in hotel bills, however in addition, a tip should be left for the chambermaid and porters should be tipped per bag. It is also customary to leave a tip for the waiter. Restaurants often include service in the bill so a tip is discretionary. In cafes and bars, it is 5 to 10 per cent. Tip taxis 10 to 15 per cent when metered. |
