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Teide Ski Resort

Teide Ski Resort

You can partake in many different activities in Tenerife, like walking or golf, or water sports. It's also true that Mount Teide can be covered in snow frequently throughout the year, but one thing you can not do here is to ski. Or can you?

This site, Teide Ski, would have you imagine otherwise, with "7 lifts, 10 runs (15 km of slopes) 2 green, 3 blue, 4 red, 1 black". Of all the 2,500 ski resorts listed by ski portal, Nevasport, the one which gets the most online visitors is the Teide Ski Resort! Love their little camel logo with a woolly hat, but I wonder how many people have driven up Teide, looking for the resort in "Orotava Land"?

Christmas Eve menus in the Canary Islands


Although an eternal spring persists in the Canary Islands, Christmas is celebrated with the same enthusiasm as everywhere else. Christmas in the archipelago is not white nor do you expect to see Santa Claus transporting his gifts in a sleigh on the snow; The sun continues to shine, but even so these celebrations are the most endearing, familiar and full of traditions of the year. The traditional prevails in the gastronomy of the islands, with numerous Canarian Christmas recipes with which to share these important dates with the family.

The Canarian recipes for Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) are made for all tastes, with a wide variety of dishes and ingredients that allow all the palates of the family to be happy. The typical Canarian Christmas meals cover all types of gastronomy, from fish and meat to snacks and sweets. If you also water these delicacies with the magnificent wines of the different denominations of origin of the Fortunate Islands, the success will be complete.

If you are going to celebrate a Christmas lunch or dinner in Las Palmas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, San Sebastián de la Gomera or in any of the wonderful cities and towns of the Canary Islands, you have a wide range of foods and recipes to celebrate the holidays with the aroma of the best island tradition.

Quesos canarios (Canarian cheeses)

Tender, creamy, cured … the assortment of Canarian cheeses is extensive and delicious. Each island has such excellent cheeses as Palmero, Majorero, Media Flor, etc., and they are the best appetizers to start the festivities.

Morcilla dulce canaria (Canarian black pudding)

Like Canarian cheeses, these sticks of sweet blood sausage are great to start the table during the feasts of the holidays. Very tasty and light, in addition to the blood sausage itself, this recipe includes almonds, raisins, aromatic herbs and spices, with a simply spectacular result.

Pata de cochino asada (Roast pork leg)

A starter that adds shine to any table. These exquisite pig feet are flavoured with garlic that is introduced into the meat through small incisions. The skin is decorated in the form of a square mosaic and is smeared with lard. Baked, the dish is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside that is to die for.

Cabrito en adobo y albóndigas de conejo en salmorejo (Goat kid in adobo and rabbit meatballs in salmorejo)

Two of the most classic Canarian Christmas recipes that make up two magnificent starters. Both dishes are a tribute to the senses and a way to start lunch or dinner in style. In adobo kid, the meat is marinated with sauce or adobo, while the meatballs are bathed with the traditional Canarian salmorejo and served with basmati-type rice.

Pescado encebollado (Fish with onions)

Recipes with seafood cannot be absent in the Canary Islands, where they are one of the great foundations of its gastronomy. The fish most used during the Christmas holidays are cod and cherne (grouper), which are made with onions and accompanied by wrinkled potatoes with red or green mojo, other classics of island cuisine.

Lapas a la plancha con mojo verde (Grilled limpets with green mojo sauce)

Very simple recipe and also very popular in the Canary Islands. With very few ingredients (limpets, olive oil, parsley, coarse salt and the classic green mojo) you have a dish with a delicious seafood flavour that any fan of good food will fall in love with.

Crema de salmón (Salmon cream)

A perfect first dish made with salmon, potatoes, vegetables and milk. Although its preparation is somewhat slow (you will need about an hour), it results in a delicious dish for which it is well worth the wait a bit.

Conejo al salmorejo (Rabbit in salmorejo)

One of the Canarian Christmas recipes par excellence, which is usually served as a second course and which is a guarantee of success due to its simplicity and flavour. An infallible bet that, requires the meat to be marinated for a full day.


Postres canarios (Canarian desserts)

The icing on the cake (pun intended) of a good Christmas feast are some of the many wonderful Canarian desserts. The best way to end meals with a smile before moving on to sparkling wines, cavas, and other spirits over lively table settings. Let's see some of the essentials: 

Truchas de batata (Sweet potato turnovers)

OK, trucha actually means and translates to trout, but no, they are not fish for dessert! Canarian turnovers with sweet potato are puff pastry filled with sweet potato, lemon, almond, egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon and anise. An explosion of flavour typical of the Christmas season in the archipelago that provokes a real enthusiasm in the whole family.

Dulces tradicionales (Traditional sweets)

The typical Canarian desserts are the best finish for any menu, and there is a good variety on the islands: Tejeda almond polvorones, gofio mousse, Moya sponge cakes, almond cheese ... they are perfect as culmination of banquets.


The Canarian Christmas recipes are a real gift to enjoy these endearing holidays in the company of the family and with the privilege of being able to do so in a spring climate. But don't be surprised if you see Santa Claus carrying his gifts in shorts and on a surfboard.

Almendras Garrapiñadas (Candied Almonds)

Almendras Garrapiñadas (Candied Almonds) on sale at a fiesta in La Orotava.

Almendras Garrapiñadas (Candied Almonds) are an indispensable part of every fiesta in Spain, but are also popular at Christmas. They're also common in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, being frequently sold at Christmas markets. Or, perhaps you might like to have a go at making them yourself from this recipe:

Ingredients:
  • 200 grams of almonds with skin
  • 250 grams of granulated sugar 
  • 250 grams of water (a quarter of a liter of water)
  • 1 sachet of vanilla sugar or 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence 
Method:
  1. Put the water, sugar and almonds into a saucepan. Add an envelope of vanilla sugar (about 8 grams) or a spoonful of vanilla essence. Put the saucepan over medium heat and you will see how the sugar dissolves into the water and begins taking on the color of the almond skin. (If you use almonds without skin, the caramel is not good, and the caramel will not take on the skin color of the almonds.) Maintain over medium heat until the syrup that forms begins to boil and foams.
  2. Lower the heat, so that the boil is maintained minimally, without raising the temperature of the syrup. Stir with a wooden spatula (do not use a metal one or you will burn yourself) and the water will evaporate and the syrup will be reduced. It is not possible to evaporate the water without lowering the temperature so do not look for shortcuts in this or it will burn everything (if it smells like burning, you've gone wrong).
  3. At this point the syrup will appear to contain sand and then all the water will disappear leaving a completely dry sandy mixture. Do not stop stirring constantly.
  4. Now raise the temperature, but only a little. (If you raise the heat too much, all the sugar will turn into caramel and the almonds will stick to each other.) So turn up the heat just a little so that the sugar caramelizes, little by little. Stir constantly so that the caramel is wrapped around the almonds being quite loose from each other.
  5. When the caramelized almonds are ready, place them on baking paper. When they are somewhat less hot, but without letting them cool completely, separate the ones that have remained together and then let them cool completely. 
Whenever you work with sugar and heat you have to be very careful. Candy is one of the hottest things in a kitchen and its burn is very serious. Well caramelized, the almonds will last in an airtight container for several weeks.

Receta para hacer Almendras Garrapiñadas

Tenerife Municipal Holidays 2020

Image: Danza de varas, Fiestas del PilarChimiche 
by 
Carlos Lopez Echeto Marrero - Some rights reserved


In addition to Tenerife's Public Holidays for 2020, the national, regional and island-specific holidays, each of the 31 municipalities adds its own further 2 local days when town halls and businesses in that location will be closed and often the local main fiestas there are celebrated. These are as follows for next year:

ADEJE.
20 January: Festivity of San Sebastián.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.

ARAFO.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
31 August: Festivity of San Bernardo.

ARICO.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Abona.

ARONA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
5 October: Festivity of the Santísimo Cristo de la Salud.

BUENAVISTA DEL NORTE.
24 August: Festivity of San Bartolomé.
26 October: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios.

CANDELARIA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
27 July: Monday following the Festivity of Santa Ana.

EL ROSARIO.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
3 August: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de La Esperanza (Monday following the first Sunday in August).

EL SAUZAL.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
29 June: Festivity of San Pedro Apóstol.

EL TANQUE.
31 August: Festividad Nuestra Señora de Buen Viaje.
19 October: Festivity of Santísimo Cristo del Calvario.

FASNIA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
24 August: Fiestas Patronales.

GARACHICO.
24 June: Festivity of San Juan Evangelista.
17 August: Day following the Festivity of San Roque.

GRANADILLA DE ABONA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
13 June: Festivity of San Antonio de Padua.

GUÍA DE ISORA.
24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
21 September: Festivity of Santísimo Cristo de la Dulce Muerte.

GÜÍMAR.
29 June: Festivity of San Pedro Apóstol.
8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora del Socorro.

ICOD DE LOS VINOS.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
25 April: Festivity of San Marcos Evangelista.

LA GUANCHA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
17 August: Monday of the Fiestas Patronales.

LA MATANZA DE ACENTEJO.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
6 August: Festivity of El Salvador.

LA OROTAVA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
18 June: Infraoctava del Corpus Christi. Día de las Alfombras (Carpet Day)

LA VICTORIA DE ACENTEJO.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
31 August: Fiestas Patronales del Municipio.

LOS REALEJOS.
22 January: Festivity of San Vicente.
1 June: Monday of Remedios.

LOS SILOS.
24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de la Luz.

PUERTO DE LA CRUZ.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
14 July: Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen. Embarcación de la Virgen del Carmen (Embarkation of the Virgin del Carmen) in Puerto de la Cruz.


SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
14 September: Festivity of the Santísimo Cristo de La Laguna.

SAN JUAN DE LA RAMBLA.
24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
14 September: Festivity of San José.

SAN MIGUEL DE ABONA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
29 September: Festivity of San Miguel Arcángel.

SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE.
24 February: Carnival Monday.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.

SANTA ÚRSULA.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
21 October: Festivity of Santa Úrsula.

SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE.
15 May: Festivity of San Isidro Labrador.
16 July: Festivity of Nuestra Señora del Carmen.

TACORONTE.
25 February: Carnival Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday.
25 November: Festivity of Santa Catalina.

TEGUESTE.
25 April: Festivity of San Marcos Evangelista.
8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.

VILAFLOR DE CHASNA.
20 April: Festivity of Santo Hermano Pedro.
31 August: Festivity of San Agustín and San Roque.

Fiestas locales propias de cada municipio de la Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias para el año 2020Official version (PDF)

Flavours of Christmas in La Laguna: Solomillo al Aguere (Pork Tenderloin Aguere Style)

Pork Tenderloin with Pedro Ximenez sauce 

Dried fruits turn up in Christmas recipes from so many different parts of the world that it's easy to see how this too epitomises the flavours of Christmas. This recipe is for Solomillo al Aguere: Solomillo translates to sirloin, in this case of pork, Aguere style (Aguere is a district near the centre of La Laguna.)

Ingredients for 4 people:

4 pork tenderloins
1 large onion
250 ml of chicken stock
125 ml of Pedro Ximénez wine
5 tablespoons muscat raisins (about 80 grams)
1 tablespoon flour
olive oil
salt and black pepper

Method 

Peel the onion and cut into thin julienne strips. Place over medium heat with 8 tablespoons of oil in a large pan (into which the sirloins and the sauce should fit afterwards). Let the onions poach until they're transparent. If they should begin to burn, lower the heat and if necessary add a tablespoon of water.  Put the raisins to soak in a glass of water.

Season the pork tenderloins with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan, brown two of the tenderloins over a high heat. When they're golden, remove the tenderloins and add the other two. When ready remove the tenderloins, but leave the pan on the heat.

Pour the Pedro Ximénez (in the UK, Tesco sell this) wine into the pan. With a wooden spoon (or a wooden spatula), stir the wine through to deglaze the pan. Turn off the heat and set aside.

At this point the onion should be well poached. Add a tablespoon of flour to the onions and stir well (taking care that the flour does not stick) for a few seconds so that the flour becomes colored (and cooks through). Then pour the Pedro Ximénez wine and meat juices from the pan onto the onions. Stir for a minute, add the tenderloins and the hot chicken stock. Drain the raisins and add them to the sauce. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens to your liking. Try the sauce and season if necessary. And that's it.

Translated from: Sabores de La Navidad lagunera. Solomillo al Aguere

Tenerife in December 2019

A huge array of Christmas sweets

In December 2019 there is a national public holiday on Friday 6 December for Día de la Constitución Española (Constitution Day). 8 December - Inmaculada Concepción (The Immaculate Conception) - is not a holiday as it already falls on a Sunday. The holiday period will kick off with El Gordo (The Fat One), the Spanish Christmas Lottery, which is drawn on 22 December. Christmas Day Wednesday, 25 December is a public holiday too. For Canarians, this is often recovery day after a big family gathering on Christmas Eve that involved a whole barbequed goat kid and lots of turrón and other traditional Christmas sweets.

There are no municipal public holidays in December 2019.

Santa Cruz Winter Fest: Taking place today, Friday 20 December from 5 pm until midnight and tomorrow, Saturday 21 December from midday until midnight, in the Plaza del Príncipe, is the Santa Cruz Winter Fest. A festival for the whole family full of surprises, in which gastronomy and the best live music are joined by the most renowned DJs to start the winter in Santa Cruz. Here you will find Foodtrucks, Djs, acoustic concerts, catering tents and family area with recycling workshops.


Gastro Navidad Market: From, Friday 20 December, until Monday 6 January, the Plaza de España in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the location for the city's first 'Gastro Navidad Market'. A dozen marquees will house the gastronomic offer that includes hams and 100% Iberian charcuterie, cheeses and wines, to artisan burgers, hot dogs, pizzas and Venezuelan salchipapas. There will also be a typical Turkish 'Döner Kebab' stand, a Hawaiian 'Food Truck', a kiosk of nougat and Christmas sweets, another with churros and hot chocolate, as well as cocktail and brewery stands.

Related activities will take place, such as storytelling, mini-disco, puppets, parades, crafts, cooking, games, face painting, bubbles, magic, circus or clowns.

The children's entertainment will be completed with performances by children's and youth dance groups, choirs, as well as a show with the arrival of Santa Claus.

The 'Gastro Navidad Market' also intends to give the opportunity on the stage installed to new musical talents from Tenerife and the public will be able to attend the live performances of Los Lola, A Contratiempo, Sinsinati, Ni 1Pelo de Tonto, Última Llave, Jeita, Escuela de Calor y 600.

In addition, there will be disc jockeys and several thematic concerts such as 'Christimas Rock' or 'Back to the 80's' along with a Zumba 'Master Class' and Latin Dance or the Bachata contest. 

The event also takes place next to the electric car circuit and to the soundtrack of the Christmas carols that permeate everything, bringing a Christmassy and festive atmosphere. Open from midday until 9 pm daily over the holiday period, including Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Los Reyes. ENTRANCE FREE.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife acoge su primer 'Gastro Navidad Market' 

The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra give their traditional, FREE Christmas Day Concert, which this year reaches its twenty-sixth edition. The concert takes place annually, this year, Wednesday 25 December 2019 from 9 pm, at the Port of Santa Cruz (Calle Dársena Comercial Los Llanos S/N). It's a real feast of music in one of the most important outdoors stages of the classical music circuit in Europe. This concert is organized by the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and an invitation is required to access the venue. Around 20,000 spectators attend yearly, but it's also broadcast online and on television, internationally. 

On 28 December, beware of El Día de Los Santos Inocentes (Day of the Innocent Saints), when the press will publish even more fake news than usual.

Navilunio (The name appears to be a portmanteau of Navidad as in Christmas and Lunio as in lunar as in moon) is a festival taking place in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Saturday 28 December 2019, between 11 am and midnight. It is partly in replacement of the Plenilunio festival that was cancelled in October, due to rain. The initiative will offer a wide range of cultural activities focused on music, dance and theatre and to which several museums have joined. 

Santa Cruz se convierte mañana en una gran fiesta con Navilunio

On 31 December, get ready to party in brand new clothes and red underwear. And see in the New Year by eating twelve Uvas de la suerte (lucky grapes), one on each chime of the clock at midnight - washed down by cava.

New Year's Eve in Los Cristianos
The town of Los Cristianos will be, once again, 'the epicenter of the end of the year celebrations' in the municipality of Arona, with an event in which, in addition to celebrating the traditional twelve chimes, will feature three orchestras and three DJs. Orcestras Wamampy, Tropin and Deliciosa and DJs Pablo Barrios, Quique Serra and Carlos Delgado form the lineup, from 10 pm on December 31, for the party organised by Arona City Council, with two stages outside the Cultural Center of Los Cristianos. All this will be accompanied by cotillion (party favours), fireworks and many other surprises.

Los Cristianos celebra la mejor fiesta de Fin de Año del Sur, con orquestas, dj, cotillón y fuegos artificiales

New Year's Eve Party
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has organized a great New Year's Eve Party, with bells included [chimes], in the Plaza de la Candelaria. The party will start from eleven o'clock at night with music and the distribution of the cotillions (party bags) for all the people who attend. At ten minutes to midnight, the presenters, Itiel Delgado and Wendy Fuentes, will begin the countdown to the chimes at midnight. With the arrival of the new year there will be a 10 minute fireworks display, with a total amount of 96 kg of pyrotechnic material, under the watchful eye of the Toste Brothers lighting up the Santa Cruz skyline. Music is from Tenerife rock band  “Los Vándalos”. Orquesta Tropin are scheduled from 1:30 am, DJ Abian Reyes with then play until 4 am and Orquesta Generasión until 6 am.

La plaza de la Candelaria acoge la gran Fiesta de Fin de Año

Tenerife Land of Eternal Christmas

Sunbathing SantaDesert Island ChristmasScuba Diving SantaTropical Santa
Santa's Having a Whale of a TimeSurfing SantaWaterski SantaCamel Rodeo Santa
With a wide range of products in each design, click the pics (above) to see the full selections.