Embroidery, first expertise
The first thing that will attract your attention is the pottery. Especially the art of pottery without a wheel, inherited from the Guanches, as well as the reproduction by some potters of pre-Hispanic objects preserved in museums, and very similar to the Berber pottery of the Moroccan Atlas and the Algerian Kabylia. In this field, the most appreciated potteries come from Chipude in La Gomera and Villa de Mazo in La Palma. Another emblematic production, the embroidery which very often comes to decorate the table linen. Some of these are particularly prized, such as those from Ingenio on Gran Canaria or the models made in Tenerife, such as the lace rosettes from Vilaflor or the famous Patas de Mosca, which are characterized by their incredible polychromy and require a special expertise.
Safeguarding of ancient know-how
If you are interested in these techniques, you can go to the village of Mazo in La Palma and visit the different workshops of the handicrafts school which is dedicated to safeguarding ancient skills. The Canary Islands are also known for their basketry work (baskets or hats made of wicker, rush or palm leaves) especially those of Gran Canaria, made in Ingenio and Teror and of course for the manufacture of musical instruments such as the Timple . If you don't want to buy this emblematic instrument of Canarian folk music, a kind of guitar with four or five strings whose sound is reminiscent of the guitar, but also of the oud, you can always buy CDs of Domingo Rodríguez el Colorao, a very popular timple player and native of Fuerteventura On a trip to Tenerife, you may come across wood carvers who specialize in making traditional balconies or stone carvers who make objects to decorate churches, and if you go to Guía, Gran Canaria, you will find specialists in cutlery. If some villages have a very specific handicraft vocation, such as embroidery for table linen in Lajares (Fuerteventura), all the islands have either handicraft centers, eco-museums or specialized stores that will allow you to get an idea of the variety offered and to buy certified authentic products. Since the creator is often presented next to the creations. In Tenerife, the "Artenerife" network has many points of sale (to be consulted on its website https://artenerife.com), with regularly renewed productions and one will also go with profit to the Casa de los Balcones, in La Orotava, and to the Casa de la Aduana, in Puerto de la Cruz. In Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), the FEDAC (Foundation for the Study and Development of Canarian Crafts) presents these skills in a very contemporary design. In Fuerteventura, the Ecomuseum of La Acogida also offers an introduction to different techniques (embroidery, basketry, ceramics...). Finally, the Museo del Tanit in Tefia (Lanzarote) and the handicraft center in Santa Cruz de La Palma are also places to discover and buy. The price range is of course wide, but you can find beautiful objects from a few euros.
Gourmet basket
It is impossible to leave the Canary Islands without taking a few plátanos, the local bananas that are so tasty and sometimes made into a liqueur, but during your trip you will also discover another local specialty, the tuno, the fruit of the cactus that is now made into jam, fruit juice and also into liqueur. In the cheese department, the gourmet basket can include theAlmogrote of La Gomera, a spread made of goat's milk, oil and bell pepper and presented in small jars; the smoked cheese of El Hierro (a mixture of goat's milk, cow's milk and sheep's milk); queso Majorero from Fuerteventura, made from goat's milk, which goes from tierno (8 to 20 days of maturing) to curado (more than 60 days), including semi curado, with a traditional palm leaf rind that can be white or more ochre-colored because it is coated with red pepper. It was the first Spanish goat cheese to be awarded a DO (denomination of origin) in 1996. Finally, Gran Canaria produces Flor de Guía. Made from cow's and sheep's milk, it is the only cheese whose milk is curdled with a vegetable substance, the cardoon flower. As far as drinks are concerned, Lanzarote's malvasia wines are the best known and La Palma produces a rum with a good reputation as well as puros, cigars, which are compared to Cuban ones. In addition, there are a few jars of mojos, typical Canarian sauces made with oil mixed with sweet peppers, mojo rojo, or with parsley or coriander, mojo verde ; saffron or honey from La Palma, which is dark in color and has a very pronounced taste. Although it is always preferable to buy them from the producers presented in the "living" section, all of these products can be purchased in the numerous markets, often on Sundays, that the islands have. And if you don't have time, you can find them in the gourmet section of the Corte inglés.
Aloe vera, in all its forms
It is called the miracle plant, silent healer, doctor of paradise or elixir of longevity, but whatever the case, aloe vera is a plant known for its cosmetic action on the skin (collagen stimulation, healing ...) and its nourishing properties since it is rich in proteins and vitamins. And the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura in particular, are one of its production sites. It is impossible to travel around the islands without meeting it in a market, a store or a supermarket. It comes in many forms: sun oil, shower gel, shampoo, soap, eau de toilette, beauty creams. For women as well as for men. Before buying, several elements should be checked: the use of the pulp and juice of the plant (and not the whole leaves), because the excessive presence of aloin is toxic; the logo "elaborados en Canarias" which guarantees a local production as well as the indication in the ingredients of the mention "Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller" and not only "aloe vera". Finally, prefer opaque bottles to avoid oxidation.
