This Canarian potato is a lot of potatoes

The meeting, an illustrated tasting of old potatoes from the Canary Islands, had the participation of the taster and expert Dolores García. This action culinary, which already had its precedent in La Laguna (World Heritage City and circuit tapas that green up strongly), It's quite an example of creativity and innovation in gastronomic matters, entertainment and culture.

The originality of this informative conception and gustatory —the diners also pick up nuances when tasting the raw potato—it was already confirmed in the reception of attendees, with a potato cocktail, whiskey cream, mint liqueur and vanilla ice cream. Very curious.

It should be noted, in the preamble, that the canary consume and show off its tubers, what they look like the aforementioned European protection seal, thank you to the valiant work of the Potato Association Former and administrations. a genre precious at any latitude, next to the Peruvian, the Bolivian or the Chilean, although among a good part of the population, inaccurate notions persist about of this extraordinary raw material.

believe me: I always rediscover in these meetings the magic of the old potato; For example, a beautiful "partridge's eye". Imagine a chocolate potato with sweet tomato on a bed of octopus and sprouts; Bonita Colorado Green Soup; cylinders candied wig with shrimp and mojo; combination potato, egg yolk and truffle…

Creativity more than justified

Surprising dishes that packed a festival of flavors (and plated) that started with a maki from Iberian, potato and chorizo from Teror, del chef Kensei Hama, the FrackChefs, who also knew how to masterfully recreate the egg to the bang washed down with citrus caviar, black bread and dad from the heights of Vilaflor.

While, Dolores, head chef of La Casa of El Sauzal Wine, managed to prove once again how it is possible to taste and teach how to taste one of the star products of the archipelago (reason for another proper report) in a way different, appealing to each of the senses and, even, to the sapid memories.

A fake appeared risotto from dad, Palmero cheese foam and tuna in motion, by Walter Fumero, chef at Lúpulo restaurant, that put a real fantasy on the table of aromas and flavors, in whose elaboration served from the pretty white potato of a family from the Benijos area, in the north of Tenerife.

Potatoes also arrived in a cutting-edge garden of the guest on this occasion, chef Enrique Martin, from the Granada restaurant El Huerto by Juan Ranas (two Repsol suns). It was a creation powerful potato-based roster, with fullness of nuances of the garden, moist earth and truffle.

Jorge Bosch, Gourmets tapas champion, presented a spectacular—that's the adjective relevant—canary male broth with egg yolk, Borella potato and cilantro ragout, in which tradition and modernity came together in an attractive combination of flavors and textures.

A pause at the table

Have you ever wondered, readers of 7 cannibals, what was the origin of the so valued Canarian wrinkled potatoes?

You can pull the ball of a peasant class canary that, to prevent the stewed tuber will crumble during transport to the fields work or when moving from one place to another, I would have chosen to crumple it and die cut it, leaving him half covered in skin and half bare, to achieve a firmer texture.

However, the most accepted version indicates that we must look for its origin, paradoxically, in the sea. It has been found that fishermen, as part of the provisioning for their long campaigns in distant fishing grounds, they chose the potatoes smaller in size and cooked on the high seas, taking advantage of salt water; of this way they made them less perishable and made optimal use of all resources.

Another plate arrives at the table: potatoes wig, cod, remember the cilantro, creation of the chef of the Canary Islands Braulio Simancas, a master of mixes who, creative, subtle and down to earth, employed resources from their Gomero origins to obtain a balanced and exquisite dish, sailor and with great personality.

He flowing potato and cheek smoked black pork in lemon balm gold dome, from the chef of Baobab Suites and co-owner of FrackChefs, Pau Bermejo, confirmed its contrast creative ingenuity. A chromatic plate, serious and very interesting, intense in aromas and based in the potato torrent.

Also in baking

The first dessert was provided by Andrea Bernardi, chef of the Nómada restaurant and also co-owner of FrackChefs, whose frozen nougat with roasted golden potato, dill, celery and nutmeg oil It was quite a discovery: seductive, refreshing, light, low in sugar and with certain vegetable flavor.

Chef Jonay Darias was also surprised when choosing the red baga potato and some nuances of mojos to offer a touch of chocolate wit that sweetened the night to those present.

Until now, this creation of the expert Dolores García and the owners of FrackChefs, Pau Bermejo and Andrea Bernardi, has not counted on any institutional help, although the imminent launching of his Canary Islands tour and Peninsula (Granada, Royal City…) looks like a good time for administrations begin to support initiatives that, how are you, They could become true ambassadors of the quality of Canarian cuisine, of his wealth history and the uniqueness of the products of the earth.

The tasting itself

The event was attended by eight chefs. I love that, even though cooks and gourmets proclaim the quality of the cuisine of the islands shouting "The Canary Islands are not just potatoes and mojo!», any opportunity is welcome to recapitulate culinary emotions like the ones I mentioned. And to the tests I refer.

Also raw

You will agree with me that they usually circulate vague notions and that, when you speak of pretty potatoes, black, colored or old, bells are often heard without knowing where. And completely rolled over what, In fact, could be arranged in a hierarchy whose top spear is made up of about thirty of varieties. Mira: of them, between ten and twelve offer unique features from the culinary point of view, nutritional and gastronomic.

Let me remind you that, in the medians from the north of Gran Canaria, some houses know a unique recipe for bread forever that was cooked (and it's still cooking) in the oven next to the house. In Bascamao it is made a dough with flour, yeast, sugar, lemon, cinnamon, oil and… potatoes; the balls will become in smoking pieces.

The knife “jeito” notch

Dolores' execution is compact and leaves a sample of bright whitish appearance; gives off aromas of freshly cut herbs, chamomile… In the mouth, for consistency and texture, It resembles a chestnut with a subtle flavor…

To a server, he loves the names for its expressiveness: camel bun or rosé, from Lanzarote; jaragana, of the palm, honorific, In iron; the wig or piluca, from Tenerife; the red martial, from La Gomera…

Sunday Rios, specialist technician of the Cabildo from Tenerife, remember that the Conservation Center of Agricultural Biodiversity has carried out, in the recent years and in most areas producers, collecting nothing less than 120 types of potatoes. The term "pope" comes from from quechua, language that still survives today the andean region.

Las 29 old potato varieties

I close with the relationship of the 29 varieties protected by the Designation of Origin Protected Old Potatoes from the Canary Islands. A list that speaks for itself richness and diversity of this heritage agricultural and gastronomic: