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Recipes for All Saints Day & Day of the Dead

Recipes for All Saints Day & Day of the Dead

We hope you've enjoyed this series of sweet treats for All Saints Day (Nov 1) and Day of the Dead (Nov 2) and thought we should round them off with an index. It's said that the dessert recipes for All Saints Day rival the Christmas nougats and marzipan, but we think they're all pretty suitable whatever the occasion. 

Buñuelos de viento (Nun's Farts)

Buñuelos de viento (Nun's Farts)

Buñuelos de viento, literally 'wind fritters', are also euphemized as nun's puffs and, seemingly got the designation because they are light as air. In this season full of chestnuts and pumpkins you mustn't miss this recipe (a bit more involved, but worth it), a classic dessert for the celebration of All Saints Day.

Ingredients:

For the vanilla cream filling:
4 yolks
100 g. sugar
50 g. cornstarch (fine corn flour)
1/2 liter of whole milk
50 g. of butter
1 vanilla bean or a teaspoon of vanilla essence
the zest of a lemon
1 cinnamon stick

For the fritters:
50g butter
3 eggs
1 glass of about 300 ml of water
150 ml whole milk
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (5 g)
300 g of flour
10 g of baking powder 
The zest of half an orange
1/2 l of mild oil for frying

To decorate the fritters: 
Sugar and cinnamon powder (to taste)

Custard
The first thing is to prepare the ingredients with which we are going to flavor the milk. Wash the lemon and grate the zest finely. Open the vanilla pod and remove the seeds and reserve to add later to the milk. Measure a glass of milk and reserve it. Heat the rest of the milk in a saucepan over medium heat almost to the boiling point. Lower the temperature and remove from the heat, add the vanilla seeds, the lemon zest and the cinnamon stick split in half. Allow everything to rest, allowing the milk to be infused with the flavours for 10 minutes.

Mix the cornstarch in a glass of warm milk until it has no lumps, if necessary in a blender. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the yolks in a bowl with the sugar until frothy. Add the glass of milk with the dissolved cornstarch. Beat again until there are no lumps. Reserve. Strain the infused milk and add it back to the saucepan, heat to medium and add the cream from the previous step, adding it little by little and mixing continuously until it thickens. Do not allow to boil. It is very important not to stop stirring as it can burn or stick to the pan. The secret, as in almost all recipes, is to be patient. Add the butter to give it a shiny finish. Allow to cool completely and start with the dough for the fritters.

Dough
Start by preparing the ingredients, wash the orange and grate the zest from half of it and reserve. Sift the flour, add a teaspoon of baking powder, mix well and reserve. Place a pan with the glass of water, the whole milk, the diced butter, the orange zest, the sugar and the salt over medium heat. As soon as it starts to boil, remove. Mix well with a whisk. 

Add the sifted flour with the baking powder in one go and return to the heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until you get a homogeneous dough, a smooth cream without lumps. If you see a lump of flour, don't worry, it will gradually disappear. In the end it will be like a compact ball, detached from the walls of the pan until it seems that it is completely dry. Turn off the heat and remove the pan. Let it cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs.

Add the eggs one by one, stirring each one in fully before adding the next.

Frying and final presentation
Heat a pan with plenty of oil (sunflower or mild olive) over medium heat. Form the fritter balls with the help of two spoons. The difficulty of this dessert is in the temperature of the oil. If it is not hot enough, the dough falls to the bottom and it must be ensured that it remains afloat. But if it is too hot, a dry crust forms that prevents it from puffing up. Also, if the oil is very hot, they will brown very quickly and will remain raw inside. It requires trial and error.

Fry in batches as they will double in size. When they're golden, remove the fritters to an absorbent paper. Cool slightly, then bathe with sugar and cinnamon. They would be perfect as they are, but to finish, fill them with the pastry cream or your favorite filling.


Buñuelos de manzana (Apple Fritters)

Buñuelos de manzana (Apple Fritters)

Finding the origin of these fritters is not an easy task, since some think that it derives from the word "puñuelo" a kind of ball that the Romans kneaded with their fists, while others believe that the word comes from the French "beignet", but we know that most of the sweets have an Arab origin and almost certainly these fritters have that origin. A favorite dessert of the Moors in Granada at the time were the honey water fritters, this delicacy was fried in oil and later bathed in boiling honey. Recipes for buñuelos have been found in Spain since the 16th century, they had and still have a great gastronomic tradition in the country. 

Ingredients:

3 red apples
2 eggs
the juice of a lemon
1 glass of olive oil
1 glass of milk
200 grams of flour
70 grams of sugar
1 tablespoon of icing sugar
salt

Method:

Separate the yolks from the whites, reserve the latter and beat the yolks in a bowl with the sugar, flour, a pinch of salt and milk until you get a homogeneous paste, then leave the bowl in the fridge for half an hour.

Without peeling the apples, cut them into slices of about a centimeter, having removed the core and sprinkle them with the lemon juice so that they do not turn brown. Now whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold it to the paste that you prepared before.

Dip the apple slices in this batter and fry them in a pan with very hot oil. 

Place the fritters on a plate and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Escaldón de gofio ("scalded gofio")

Escaldón de gofio Mojos Guachinerfe

Escaldón de gofio ("scalded gofio") is a traditional recipe from the island of Tenerife, its main ingredient being Gofio. The escaldón de gofio is obtained by boiling a meat or fish broth that is then poured over the gofio in an earthenware container (lebrillo) and kneaded. Gofio is one of the most emblematic products in the islander's diet, created from toasted and ground cereals.

This recipe is from Mojos Guachinerfe.

Ingredients

  • 150 g gofio (whichever you like best)
  • 800 ml fish stock
  • 2 pulled pork ribs
  • Oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Chopped onion (if you like)
  • Mint
  • Cilantro Mojo
  • Mojo Rojo (mild or spicy)

Steps

  1. In a frying pan, brown the garlic cloves a little.
  2. In a cauldron put the 800ml of fish stock and add the garlic cloves. Wait until it boils.
  3. Place 100g of the gofio in a bowl. Reserve the other 50g to add as required until you obtain the desired consistency.
  4. Adding the broth little by little, mix well with a fork.
  5. Crumble one of the pork ribs and add it to the mix to add flavour and texture.
  6. Serve the escaldón with other crumbled rib, chopped onion and the mint.
  7. A little Cilantro Mojo and Red Mojo (mild or spicy, to taste) are added on top. 

Escaldón de gofio

Rosquetes al ron (Rum Donuts)

Rosquetes al ron (Rum Donuts)

We don't think we need any further description to sell these, which are again offered for All Saints Day by the Mercado de La Laguna (La Laguna Market). 

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon of oil
1 tablespoon of rum
2 tablespoons sugar
flour

In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, rum and sugar, beating everything together very well. Add flour, until well combined, stirring. Place the dough on a surface, previously dusted with flour, and knead until it no longer sticks. Form the rings with tablespoon sized pieces of dough. They are then cooked in water; the proof that they are done is that they rise to the surface. Then they are then removed, drained and then fried in oil over low heat. Finally, dust the rosquetes with flour, then sugar, because sugar alone does not grip.

Yemas de Santa Teresa (Candied Egg Yolks)

Yemas de Santa Teresa (Candied Egg Yolks) Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Continuing with the series of recipes for typical sweets for All Saints Day, presented by the the Mercado de La Laguna (La Laguna Municipal Market) (Via La Laguna Ahora), Yemas de Santa Teresa (Yolks of Saint Theresa or Candied Egg Yolks) are also known among the delicacies made by the order of the Hermanas Pobres de Santa Clara (The Poor Nuns of Santa Clara).

Ingredients:

1 glass of water
250 grams of sugar
12 egg yolks
Icing sugar
4 tablespoons of milk
2 small teaspoons cornflour

Method:

Make the syrup with the water and the sugar. 

Dilute the cornflour in the milk and combine with the 12 eggs.

When the syrup is at its point, remove from the heat, cooling slightly, then add it to the eggs little by little while stirring. Place on the heat and stir continuously, wait for it to thicken then remove from the heat, allow to cool in a dish, protected with film so that it does not form a crust. Once cold, make small balls, place them in small candy cases and dust with icing sugar. If you wish, before putting them in the cases, place them in the oven for a few minutes.

The Teneguía Eruption of 1971

Volcanic landscape of Teneguía

On October 20, 1971, the earthquakes began, the intensity of which were gradually increasing, which alerted the residents of Fuencaliente, and the authorities deployed civil protection measures. The eruption of Teneguía, in the south of the island of La Palma, began at 4:25 p.m. on October 26, 1971, and lasted until November 18. It was the shortest eruption to have taken place in the Canary Islands, especially when compared to the one that lasted six years in the 18th century in what is now the Timanfaya National Park, in Lanzarote.

The Teneguía volcano had been inactive since 1677, when it began to expel lava. The population watched with curiosity and fear; Long lines of vehicles are remembered near the volcano to watch the lava show, especially at night. 

The volcano caused material damage to the vineyards in the area and destroyed a beach, although it also created a new one. The final valuation of losses was six million pesetas, mainly in communication routes, crops and some houses, as reported at the time by La Vanguardia. There were also moments of anguish in the evacuation of 28 fishing boats from the Faro beach. A tourist died as a result of severe poisoning suffered by inhaling gases near the volcano, after breaking the security cordon established to protect the population.

The lava did not affect the populated areas and, as the volcano is to the south of the island, on the coast, the lava practically dumped straight into the sea, which increased the surface of the island by about two million square meters. This space of new land was declared a Natural Monument, and is one of the great attractions of the island: for many years, when walking through the recent lava, the earth was still warm. The Cumbre Vieja de La Palma, is one of the most active volcanic complexes in the Canary Islands. Three of the last four eruptions recorded on the islands have taken place here: San Juan volcano in 1949, Teneguía in 1971, and Tajogaite Volcano in 2021.  


Bizcocho de calabaza (Pumpkin cake)

Bizcocho de calabaza (Pumpkin cake)

Continuing with the seasonal recipes from the Mercado de La Laguna (La Laguna Municipal Market) (Via La Laguna Ahora), in October pumpkin season begins. The market's greengrocers are filled with this vegetable in various shapes, colors and sizes, one of the best known and most consumed being the typical round, flattened and orange pumpkin, symbol of a very autumnal festival; Halloween, All Saints and Day of the Dead. Pumpkin pulp has many uses in the kitchen. Despite being vegetables, they are not only used in savory dishes, the texture and sweet touch of the flesh of the pumpkin, makes it also used, as with carrots, to make cakes and all kind of sweets and desserts. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kg pumpkin
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1 small can of condensed milk
1 can of normal milk (measure with the condensed milk can)
1 can of sugar (ditto above)
1 can of normal flour (ditto above)
less than half of the can of refined oil
1 sachet of yeast
4 eggs
1 lemon
1 tablespoon butter
flour for the mold, icing sugar to decorate.

Method

Cook the pumpkin with the salt and cinnamon until it is soft. Drain it well, remove the skin and reserve the flesh.

Grate the lemon and reserve. Mix the condensed milk, the normal milk, the sugar, the flour together with the yeast. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat. Add the lemon zest and the crushed pumpkin. Mix everything together well.

Spread a baking pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Pour the mixture into the container and bake in the oven, preheated, at 160º, for an hour. 

When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar.

Recetas típicas del Día de Todos los Santos: Bizcocho de calabaza

Plaza del Adelantado, La Laguna

Fountain in the Plaza del Adelantado

The Plaza del Adelantado is a square in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, located in the centre of the old town. Around it are the Town Hall, the municipal courts, the old municipal market (now located in the Plaza del Cristo) and the Hermitage of San Miguel Arcángel. It is named after the first Adelantado (An Adelantado was a high Spanish dignitary who carried out duties by mandate of service, account and under royal designation), Alonso Fernández de Lugo, conqueror of the islands of La Palma and Tenerife, who, at the beginning of the 16th century, had his residence at one end of this square, specifically in a part of the site that today is occupied by the Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena.

It was created to be the town's main square, both due to its size and the importance of the buildings that surrounded it in the 16th century. The most important public events in the city were held there until the 20th century, including: festivals, market days, processions, bullfights and even the execution of sentences. Its dimensions have been maintained over the centuries, but its appearance has varied over the years. The esplanade was paved for the first time in 1798. In 1843, the interior was redesigned, placing trees and benches.

The central marble fountain is the most characteristic element of this square and it is the oldest and most aesthetic of those existing in the old town. It was commissioned from Marseille (France), from where it was shipped, bound for La Laguna, on March 20, 1869 by the Ghirlanda Brothers Society aboard the ship "Marie Honoré". Its weight is estimated to be 30 tons. It is made from superimposed cups that support slender columns and there is no lack of architectural ornaments. The fountain was placed in the square in 1870. 

Buñuelos de almendra (Almond fritters)

Buñuelos de almendra (Almond fritters)

Buñuelos (fritters), like many traditional desserts in Spain, are of Jewish heritage. Sephardic Jews made fried buns with wheat flour, which they called bimuelos, as early as the 10th century to celebrate Hanukkah. They were not identical to those we know today, but very similar. Christians adopted this dessert for Nov 1. This recipe is for Buñuelos de almendra (Almond fritters), although there are many varieties and fillings. In Spain the recipes for All Saints, Carnival and Easter are among the best of the year, rivalling Christmas nougats and marzipan. 

Ingredients:

½ natural yogurt
3 tablespoons of honey
1 egg yolk
60 grams of softened butter
80 grams of flour
50 grams of chopped almonds
icing sugar and olive oil

Method:

To prepare the dough, mix the butter with the beaten yolk, the yogurt and a teaspoon of honey, stir until you get a homogeneous paste.

Add 80 grams of sifted flour to this dough, little by little and knead with your hands. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about two hours at room temperature.

Now prepare the filling, mix the almonds with the rest of the honey, stirring until they are amalgamated. 

Place the fritter dough on a floured work surface and roll it out thickly, cut out about twelve dough discs.

In each disc, place a small portion of the almond and honey mixture, then fold the edges over the filling, pressing carefully so that they are well sealed. Shape them into a ball with your hands and fry them in plenty of hot oil until evenly browned.

Place the fritters on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil and sprinkle a little icing sugar. Allow to cool completely and finish by sprinkling a little more icing sugar on them when you serve them.

Panellets sweets for All Saints Day

Assortment of Panellets traditional dessert for All Saints Day
Mutari 15:57, 30 October 2007 (UTC), Public domain

Panellets (literally 'little loaves') are another traditional sweet for All Saints Day, most typically of Catalonia, but they are more likely of Arab origin, given the ingredients used. This recipe has been shared by the Mercado Municipal De La Laguna (La Laguna Municipal Market) via La Laguna Ahora. The most popular are the marzipan panellets covered with pine nuts

To make the first batch of Panellets

The ingredients: ½ kilo of raw ground almonds, ½ kilo of sugar, 250 grams of stewed potatoes, grated rind of a lemon, 2 whole eggs and a yolk. For the varieties of panellets; 150 grams of pine nuts, 150 grams of chopped almonds and 125 grams of grated coconut.

Preparation

Cook the potato with its skin, peel it once cooked and let it cool. Mash it with a fork and mix it well with the sugar, then add the ground almonds, the lemon zest and mix well.

Separate the yolk of two eggs from the whites, reserve these and pour the yolks into the previous mixture, stirring so that all the ingredients are mixed. Put the chopped almond, pine nuts and a third of the coconut on small plates separately.

Start to make balls and reserve a third of the dough to mix it with the rest of the grated coconut. The rest, roll them first in the egg white and then one batch the pine nuts one and the other in the almonds. Put the panellets on the baking tray covered with greaseproof paper or foil and a little flour.

Preheat the oven to 170º C. Continue with the preparation of the panellets, form balls with the coconut dough and roll them in the grated coconut, also place them on the tray. 

To finish, brush the surface of the pine nut and almond panellets with egg yolk and they are ready to bake for 10-12 minutes, check and remove them when they have browned.

Here are some more variations to try: 

Hazelnut

The same mixture must be made as with the lemon panellet. Introduce 1 hazelnut in the center of each panellet. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC.

Almond

The same system is used as with the pine nut panellets, although the shape they are given is similar to that of a small croquette. Logically we must substitute the pine nuts for almonds in the paste. The cooking time is a little shorter.

Coffee

Starting with the basic marzipan, add ground coffee until it is brown. The intensity of the flavor depends on our taste, it is convenient to try the mixture until determining the correct measure. Soluble coffee can be substituted for coffee extract, although the flavor is better with ground coffee, it is also more natural and aromatic.

Make small portions in the form of croquette. It should be coated with a lot of powdered sugar, the more the better. Cook at a high temperature of 240 ºC.

Mushrooms

For the preparation of the mushrooms we use another marzipan mixture, which is called rough marzipan, since it is much harder, 50% almond, and does not contain water in the kneading. Form small round balls and then press the center with the cap on the neck of a glass bottle. This bottle must be well floured to prevent the piece from sticking.

After forming the mushroom, they should be left to rest for 24 hours. Brush only with egg yolk and give it them quick and strong bake, just enough to dry. Once baked and once cold, wet the tip of the mushroom with gelatin. Coat the tip with a chocolate chip.

Chocolate

Start with the base marzipan and add chocolate to the mixture until the color is similar to the coffee panellet. Make the same shape in the form of croquette, only in this case make a small groove in the dough, to later fill with chocolate coating.

Cook the panellets, sprinkle them with icing sugar abundantly, and as indicated above, fill the grooves with tempered chocolate

Cherry

Make balls the size of pine nut panellets, and place 1 well-drained candied cherry in the center. The pieces are then coated in granulated sugar. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC. 

Coconut

Starting from the base marzipan, add 300 gr. of desiccated coconut for each kilo of marzipan. The shape that is given to the coconut panellet is made by pinching the dough, approximately it should be about 30 grams. If possible, it is preferable to place the "pinches" on wafer paper cut to the appropriate diameter, if not, spread them on greaseproof paper.

Sprinkle with plenty of icing sugar before baking the pieces. Bake at a high temperature of 240 ºC.

Strawberry

A small piece of strawberry pulp is added to the base marzipan, plus a little coloring to reinforce the color. The process is exactly the same as the rose pink panellet.

Marron Glacé 

Add Marron Glacé (candied chestnut) paste to a marzipan base (proportions to taste), to obtain a chestnut color in the mixture. Make small balls and roll them in granulated sugar. Before baking form a small hole. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC. After cooking and once the pieces are cold, fill the hole with more candied chestnut paste.

Quince

Add about 100 gr of ground almonds to each kilo of marzipan base. Form long bars as if they were churros. Slit down the length of the bars with a knife to access the interior and fill this center with candied quince. Close and stretch "the churro" again.

Coat with plenty of sugar and mark small incisions in each of the bars. Freeze the dough to be able to cut it and once cold, cut pieces of about 30 gr. each. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC.

Lemon

Lemon essential oil and zest should be added to the base marzipan, or just the extract. Rolled 30 gr pieces in plenty of sugar. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC.

Pine nuts

Add a little lemon zest or extract to the base marzipan. Form small balls of about 25 gr. Have a generous quantity of pine nuts, which should be soaked in a little water and an egg. Coat the marzipan base with abundant pine nuts, leaving no gap. Spread the panellets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg yolk and bake at high temperature (240 ªC) until golden.

Rose

Pink panellets are made by adding pink coloring to the base marzipan plus a little rose water. Form round balls and coat with plenty of icing sugar. Bake at a high temperature, 240ºC.

Panellets por los Santos

Huesos de santo rellenos con yema (Saint's bones stuffed with egg yolk)

Huesos de santo rellenos con yema (Saint's bones stuffed with egg yolk)
Image: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0

Saints Bones are a typically Spanish sweet, often served as a dessert for the celebration of the Day of the Dead and All Saints Day and, which will appear in shop windows and showcases of pastry shops in the market, as much as they do in houses. This exquisite and traditional sweet is made with almond paste (marzipan) as the main ingredient. They are white, elongated and cylindrical in shape. The bone is in the shape of a tube, similar to that of a real bone with its marrow, which is then filled with sweet egg yolk or syrup.

Ingredients:

For the paste:
200 gr. raw ground almonds
100 gr. ground hazelnuts
200 gr. of icing sugar, anise and water.

For the sweet yolk:
100 gr. of sugar
4 yolks
500 ml. of water.

Method

Start by preparing the paste: mix the ground almonds with the sugar. When well mixed add a tablespoon of water and another of anise. Knead the paste and add the hazelnuts. Knead well, form into a ball shape. Let it rest in the fridge, while we make the filling.

Place the water with the sugar in a saucepan. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually incorporate the syrup. Stir well and pour it back into the saucepan, place into a bain-marie so that it thickens without boiling. Allow it cool.

Take the paste out of the fridge and roll it out. Sprinkle with icing sugar and cut into squares. Roll the squares around a 1 cm stick (use the handle of a wooden spoon), bake for 3 minutes at maximum temperature. Allow to cool, then using an icing bag fill with the yolk.


Santa Cruz celebrates the bicentenary of its designation as the capital of Canary Islands

Tenerife Auditorium and the "twin towers" from Las Mesas park. Carlos SM Some rights reserved

After this designation, between 1822 and 1927, Santa Cruz de Tenerife served as administrative head of the archipelago thanks to the efforts of José Murphy

The privilege of Villa Exenta and the titles of Muy Leal, Noble y Invicta (Very Loyal, Noble and Undefeated) granted by Carlos IV on August 28, 1803, six years after having defeated the British commanded by Rear Admiral Horacio Nelson, would be the origin of the subsequent aggrandizement of Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife, since, when the first constitutional period arrived in 1812 it had already consolidated itself as the administrative head of all the islands, as most of the State administrations were established here.

The first triumph of Santa Cruz in favor of its capital rights - taken from no one, since there was no capital until then - occurred when the captain general of the Canary Islands, with residence in Santa Cruz, notified the political superior of the province that in article 3 of the Decree on the formation of the Electoral Boards, promulgated by the Cortes of Cádiz in 1812, it was stated “that the Captain General of the province was the President of the Electoral Board, if he was in the town ...”; For this reason, when the Cortes approved the establishment of the Electoral Board in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, when the elections of deputies to the Cortes were held on May 30, 1813, the Provincial Council settled in Santa Cruz, as the head of all the islands.

When, in 1820, the Constitution of 1812 was proclaimed again, the political chief returned to Santa Cruz, a new captain general was appointed, and elections were held for Cortes and the Deputation and, although the Extraordinary Cortes established in 1821 recommended that the Proposals from the Provincial Councils that had been created eight years ago, a Royal Decree of March 1821 named the heads of electoral parties to La Laguna, Granadilla, La Orotava and Garachico, with Santa Cruz depending on La Laguna. For this reason, when the aforementioned Royal Decree reached the Islands, the Santa Cruz City Council met in an extraordinary council and agreed to appeal it in the Cortes of Madrid, appointing Mr. José Murphy y Meade, attorney-in-fact (councillor).

Murphy, for fear of being arrested, moved to the Peninsula in a Swedish brig bound for Setúbal (Portugal), arriving in Madrid in mid-July and, although the Cortes were closed, managed to get to the king and to the Government the appeal in which it stated that the new designation of electoral parties could not be considered valid, since the Courts had recommended that the heads of electoral parties be the same as those proposed in 1812. The Government considered the appeal logical and, without waiting for the reopening of the Cortes, on August 8 modified its previous decision and, once again, the municipalities of Santa Cruz, La Laguna, La Orotava and Icod were head of the electoral party.

The negotiations were not easy for Murphy, as he was a commissioner of the Santa Cruz City Council who wanted to make a presentation before the Plenary of the Cortes, where he had no vote, and the Canarian deputies (Gomera) Echeverría and Cabeza preferred that the capital fall in La Laguna and Las Palmas; However, developing laborious "corridor diplomacy" in search of support, would achieve that when the parliamentary sessions were resumed, on October 1, 1821, he managed to present his most famous and important argument in the Spanish Parliament so that the capital of the Canary Islands was determined in Santa Cruz. “For a century, various authorities established their residence in Santa Cruz whose presence symbolized that the capital was the town in which they lived and, emanating from the Constitutional Regime, other Institutions were established, as a natural, simple and ordinary thing."

Many generations have naturally seen this order of things: that where the authorities were residing was naturally the capital. In Santa Cruz were: Political Superior Chief, Provincial Delegation, Captain General, Mayor, Court of Appeals, Superior Board of Health, and Post Office Administration. By contrast, Las Palmas only has the Territorial Court and a Cathedral.

On October 5, when the Commission in charge of discussing the issue of the capital of the Canary Islands met for the first time, there was only one document on the table to initiate deliberations: the draft decree in which the name of La Laguna appeared as the capital of the Archipelago. After numerous and heated interventions, the decision was reconsidered and, at the meeting on the second day, all the members of the table were ordered to have Murphy's presentation in their possession, so that, in the debate on the third day, the Committee did not approve the designation of La Laguna.

The Commission met again on the 18th, and after a score of interventions, replies and counter-replies, the deputies were inclined for the capital to be Santa Cruz, assessing the number of authorities and institutions that were already established in the city. In the fourth session, held on the 19th, the Commission stated: "By declaring the point sufficiently discussed, the Commission's opinion is approved: the capital will be Santa Cruz."

On October 22, 1821, Don José Murphy y Meade, informed his native city of the agreement that had just been taken in the Cortes:

“I have the satisfaction of communicating to V.S. Iltma, that the Extraordinary Courts, in session of the 19th of the current, have served to designate that Very Noble, Loyal and Invicta Villa, as Capital of the Canary Islands”.

This news, written in such a concise way, despite its enormous importance, was the fruit of the hard work of a man, undoubtedly the greatest Canarian politician of the nineteenth century, who, despite not being a deputy in the Cortes, knew how to function in that unknown and in some aspects hostile environment. For this reason, this tireless fighter, authentic and main architect of the single capital, has deserved the title of Political Father of Santa Cruz.

Three months later, on January 27, 1822, Fernando VII promulgated the Royal Decree establishing the division of Spanish territory into 52 provinces, it read: “Canarias (islands). Population: 215,108 souls.- Deputies: three.- Capital: Santa Cruz de Tenerife ”.

Santa Cruz would remain the sole capital of the Canary Islands until September 23, 1927, when the Government of the dictatorship of General Miguel Primo de Rivera decreed the division of the Archipelago into two provinces: Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas. 

Santa Cruz celebra hoy el bicentenario de su designación como capital de Canaria

Huesos de merengue (Meringue bones)

Huesos de merengue (Meringue bones)

La Laguna Ahora offers a series of recipes for the celebration of All Saints Day from the Mercado Municipal De La Laguna (La Laguna Market). This is for these delightful Huesos de merengue (Meringue bones), which, they say, are very easy to prepare, perfect to serve on Halloween or at children's celebrations.

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

300 g of icing sugar

a pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon

Method

With a whisk, whip the whites until stiff together with the salt and lemon juice. Then add the sugar little by little, continuing to beat.

Place the meringue in a piping bag with a large nozzle.

Place baking paper on a tray and pipe the meringue, shaping it into a bone. Shape it in a single movement: start at one end of the bone, work through the elongated part, and finish at the other end. In this way, you will prevent them from breaking.

Bake in the preheated oven at 100ºC for approximately 1 hour, until the meringue is dry and dull. Allow to cool and serve.

Recetas típicas del Todos los Santos y Fieles Difuntos: Huesos de merengue

TIP: You can serve the meringue bones with a little strawberry or berry jam on top, imitating blood.

Carne de Cabra (Goat Meat Stew)

Carne de Cabra (Goat Meat Stew)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 kg goat meat, diced
  • 250 gr chopped onion
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • pimentón / paprika
  • thyme
  • clove
  • cumin
  • water
  • salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Season the meat.
  2. Sautéed the onion in a frying pan with oil, add the meat and fry until golden brown.
  3. Then add the pepper, paprika, thyme, clove, cumin, and wine, and leave it over heat for about 15 minutes.
  4. Finally, the water is added until the meat is covered and leave to cook for approximately 1 hour and a half.
  5. Serve with wrinkled potatoes. 

The six most paradisiacal beaches in Tenerife

A list brings together the six most paradisiacal and beautiful beaches in Tenerife

For those who seek to discover each of the spectacular volcanic landscapes that this island hides or simply spend a few days relaxing enjoying the best beaches and the best beach bars, this selection includes some of the most beautiful and paradisiacal beaches on the island. Some secluded and wild beaches, others more accessible, of volcanic origin and with crystal clear waters, perfect for those who prefer all the comforts and the best accesses. 

TEJITA BEACH

Punta Roja and Playa Tejita rene boulay, CC BY-SA 3.0

If you're looking for a wild, remote beach and one of the most beautiful in Tenerife, then La Tejita beach is perfect for you. A beach that you will find in the south of the island and next to the Montaña Roja Nature Reserve. An old reddish volcanic crater, to which you will have spectacular views from this beach. A quiet, wild beach with golden sand, ideal for those looking for a place away from the tourist centres and especially for fans of sports such as surfing or windsurfing as the wind is another of the great protagonists in this sandy area.

LAS TERESITAS BEACH

Las Teresitas Beach

Playa de Las Teresitas is one of the best known beaches in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A beach of golden sand and palm trees that you will find located in the town of San Andrés and that will transport you without a doubt to any paradisiacal beach you've dreamed of. It is also one of the favourite beaches for families, thanks to the tranquillity of its waves. All this, together with how close it is to the city centre, make it one of the favourite beaches on the island.

BENIJO BEACH

Roques en Benijo Josefir InstantesCC BY-SA 4.0

Benijo beach is another of those completely wild and beautiful beaches that you can find on the island of Tenerife and specifically on its north coast. A perfect black sand beach for those who want to escape the overcrowding of other well-known beaches, since in summer it has a medium occupation and low the rest of the year. Its access is another reason why this beach does not have many tourists and is that to get to it you will have to access it through a path with steps that you will have to go down for about fifteen minutes, but on the way back you it will need more time to go up. It is also advisable to be especially careful with the swell, as it is usually quite strong. The environment of nature and the landscape from it deserves at least one visit, as well as for its spectacular sunsets.

MASCA BEACH

Masca Beach

A wild, isolated environment, with volcanic sand, surrounded by cliffs and with crystal clear waters. This is how we could define this small and beautiful beach of Masca located at the end of the riverbed of the Barranco de Masca. Another of its characteristics is its difficult access, for which you will have to approach either by boat or going down the ravine, which may take you between 2 and 4 hours of walking. An effort that will undoubtedly be worth it for its paradisiacal beach, but also for the impressive landscape that you will be able to see throughout the journey.

EL DUQUE BEACH

El Duque Beach

For those who prefer something more accessible and with all the comforts, El Duque Beach is another favourite. A beach with Blue Flag, which is located in the tourist area of ​​Costa Adeje and in front of some of the most exclusive and luxurious hotels on the island. With golden sand, crystal clear, clean and calm waters and with all the necessary services, which makes it one of the favourite options for tourists.

EL MÉDANO BEACH

El Médano Beach
 
Another heavenly Blue Flag beach that you can find in Tenerife is El Médano Beach. A beach where you can also enjoy all the services and that you will find located in the municipality of Granadilla de Abona. From there you can also enjoy the majestic view of the Montaña Roja volcanic cone, as well as the practice of sports such as surfing or windsurfing, among others. Another of its peculiarities is its sand with different shades of light brown and the many tourists who decide to visit it, especially for its easy access and its beauty. 

The hardware store in La Orotava, Tenerife

Ferretería Orotava opposite the Town Hall Plaza

Located opposite the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Town Hall Square) in La Orotava, with its emblematic low doors, a company founded in 1904 remains active.

Félix Reyes started the Ferretería Orotava (Orotava Hardware Store) at the beginning of the 20th century and his sons Manuel and Miguel, who took over in 1950 and ran it until they were 90 years old, continued the activity into the 21st century, when they transferred the business to Esteban García, their most faithful employee who had arrived at the age of 14 in 1979 and, at 55, continues behind a counter that has seen two pandemics - the Spanish flu of 1918 and coronavirus  - two world wars, monarchies, republics, a civil war, a dictatorship and the arrival of department stores and the internet go by. The only thing that has managed to question its continuity has been the decline of traditional and local commerce due to large shopping centres and purchases through large online platforms.

When the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de La Orotava housed the first large Corpus Christi carpet, in 1919, the Orotava Hardware Store had already dispensed nails and screws for 15 years. In each and every one of the photos of the emblematic tapestries made with Teide sand, this building is in the background. Esteban García, the son of humble people, took over the company in 2004, when he had already been employed there for 25 years, and now, 42 years after arriving, he takes care of it with his wife Milagros and with the occasional help of his daughters Marta and María. When asked why the hardware store has lasted so long, he replies that the key "is in the affection and in its family character."

A living business, with the air of a museum

Esteban keeps many of the materials and gadgets that were sold decades ago: an original counter, the weights to sell nails in bulk, the first calculator, a cash register with decades of use and 100 pesetas bills inside, a portable record player, brochures from the 50s, porcelain switches, lamps, Bakelite strips, a book of credit sales that this year turns a century, and even the original purchase contract of the house for 1,420 pesetas.

“They are like museum pieces, we value them a lot, but we need to sell to stay open. History does not feed us. If we sell, we can continue to make history. If not, it would have to be closed. Every day I wake up with nervousness but also with the hope of operation a century old business. It costs us a lot. Traditional commerce is heavily punished because now you can order anything over the internet, from a drill to a shirt or glasses. Then when it arrives it will be what it will be, so our difference is the personalized treatment with the client. Here you can see, touch and taste what you buy. We explain, we advise and, as we are a people, sometimes we even let things be taken on condition,” Esteban explains.

In the town this business is also known as the hardware store of Los Enanitos (The Dwarfs), a nickname that comes from the low height of its doors, which were normal sized but became small when the level of the street was built up, and also from Miguel and Manuel's, its previous owners, low stature. They did not like this nickname too much, Esteban recalls. When he took over the business, he had to turn "the murderous door" into a showcase.

Another of the hallmarks of this hardware store is the sale of Canarian handicrafts, "which is a way of helping a sector that is having a very bad time these days", and of products that are difficult to get in other places such as basins, large cauldrons, ceramic pieces. One of its windows is always reserved for crafts: "You will never see a drill there." His business is currently very varied, although the products with the most output are kitchen utensils, lighting, paintings, tools and "in general everything that can be found in a hardware store, except for construction material, due to lack of space”.

Esteban García Morales fears that the day will come to close and recognizes that he would not like to go down in history as the person who had to put an end to the Orotava Hardware Store. His hope goes through one of his daughters and even his grandson Nicolás, who is 6 years old, and already tells his grandfather that he will stay with the business.

The most appreciated nativity scene

For 16 years, the nativity scene that is made in this business has been one of the most visited on the route of nativities in La Orotava. In 2020, 15,228 people enjoyed the display, with figures dressed as magos (in typical Canarian costume), in which the church of San Juan was recreated.

On October 10, 1904

La Ferretería Orotava keeps the purchase contract for the building where it's located, on Calle La Carrera, which was previously a grocery store owned by Antonio Herrero González, framed on a wall. It was acquired on October 10, 1904 by the founder of the hardware store, Félix Reyes Martín, at a price of 1,420 pesetas and 60 cents. On the day of the handover of the keys, he paid 1,220 pesetas and 60 cents in cash and promised to pay the remaining 200 pesetas in December 1904. Thus began the long history of this emblematic business. 


Anniversary of the birth of the Tagoro volcano on the island of El Hierro

Tagoro submarine volcano in formation. Source: Municipal Council of El Hierro.

On the morning of October 10, 2011, a whole generation of Canary Islanders heard for the first time a word that they would eventually get used to: tremor. 

The islands were facing a volcanic emergency for the first time in 50 years, but not where most expected: not Teide, nor Cumbre Vieja, but under the sea, a kilometre and a half from the island of El HierroTagoro violently devastated the Mar de las Calmas, one of the most important marine reserves in Europe, and shocked the geologically youngest island in the archipelago, plagued with volcanic cones but without any historical eruption. News of the birth of the volcano went around the world and its footprint in the sea was visible from space.

Tagoro, which caused a deformation of the terrain that raised the island 20 centimetres that has been maintained over time, has a diameter at its base of one kilometre and is 370 meters high from its base, like a skyscraper of 90 stories, a very high cone, because it arose at the bottom of a valley and its walls helped it to grow, although it suffered landslides during the five months of eruption, from October 10, 2011 to March 5, 2012. 

Since 2011 there have been around thirty oceanographic expeditions on the volcano, most of them commanded by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) and in which researchers from national and international scientific centers have participated, such as, among many others, the two Canarian public universities, the German Geomar institute or the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

"The eruption of El Hierro is an unprecedented event for science," explains Eugenio Fraile, principal investigator of the Vulcana project of the IEO of underwater volcanology in the Canary Islands, initiated with Tagoro. "The data from our investigations have served as a world reference to see how a system like this evolves, ships, researchers and instruments have been at the volcano from minute zero until today," adds the oceanographer.

The scientific history of Tagoro continues to be built, and many aspects remain to be studied from the physical or biological point of view. The volcano continues to emit heat and has increased the temperature in its surroundings by almost two degrees, a reason that has helped, along with the nutrients “to increase the biomass of zooplankton in the area affected by Tagoro compared to nearby reference waters, but also a decrease in the diversity of species on the volcano has been verified,” says Fraile. "Today we have a richer and more productive Mar de las Calmas (Sea of ​​Calms), with the volcano emitting an enormous amount of nitrites, phosphates, many silicates and bioassimilable iron that fertilize the water in a natural way", sums up the scientist.

The enormous dimensions of the eruption that is currently underway on La Palma and, above all, its terrible consequences for those who have lost homes, farmland or their work under the lava flows have almost relegated the tenth anniversary of the Tagoro volcano to the background, when, in fact, much of the scientific and emergency deployment of the last three weeks in Cumbre Vieja was tested for the first time in El Hierro. 

Titsa restores bus routes to Mount Teide and through the interior of the National Park

Titsa restores bus routes to Mount Teide and presents a new route in the National Park

The Minister of Mobility and President of Tenerife public bus company, Titsa, Enrique Arriaga, explains that "the company is recovering this service to provide a sustainable response to the interest that the protected area arouses"

Transportes Interurbanos de Tenerife (Titsa), a company managed by the Cabildo de Tenerife, will re-establish the routes 342 and 348, which connect the Teide National Park with Costa Adeje and Puerto de la Cruz, respectively, starting, Friday, October 8. Both routes, which had been temporarily suspended due to the low demand due to COVID-19, will begin to operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays with a daily route.

At the same time, the company inaugurates a new route through the interior of the Park, which will visit the most emblematic sites of this space to respond to the demand of both residents and tourists. Stops will be made at Portillo Bajo, the visitor centre, Portillo Alto, Minas de San José, Montaña Blanca, the cable car and parador (Roques de García). The Minister of Mobility and President of Titsa, Enrique Arriaga, explains that this route seeks to "reconcile the management and preservation of a protected area with the interest it arouses among tourists and visitors." Thus, a more sustainable alternative is offered both to go to the park and to be able to see all of its main attractions.

The new route, which Titsa will operate in the interior of the Park in both directions, will maintain the number 342, corresponding to the one that connects with the South, and will cost 2.10 euros each way. It will cover the area between the Portillo Bajo and the parador (Roques de García), with departures at 11:00, 12:30, 13:10 and 14:40 in the direction of the parador and at 11:20 , 12:30, 13:10 and 14:00 in the direction of the visitor centre. 

Titsa restablece las líneas con destino al Teide y presenta una nueva ruta por el interior del Parque Nacional

Conejo en salmorejo (Rabbit in marinade)

Conejo en salmorejo. Image: Javier Lastras Some rights reserved

One of the most typical dishes of the Canary IslandsConejo en salmorejo (rabbit in marinade) has its origins in the peninsula, as it appears much earlier in cookbooks in Aragon. This recipe comes from La Orotava, from the Tasca Bodegón "El Raspón".

Ingredients
1 rabbit of about 2 kg. approx., cleaned and jointed
750 ml of white wine
250 ml. red wine vinegar
1 head of garlic (about 15 garlic cloves approx.)
1 bay leaf
1 chilli
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon of sweet paprika
1 tablespoon of thyme and another of oregano.
Coarse salt (50 g. Approx.)
600 ml. mild extra virgin olive oil 

How to make rabbit in salmorejo

The greatest difficulty of this recipe would be to clean the rabbit, although you can find it ready cleaned and cut up in most supermarkets and butchers. If you decide to cut it up yourself, you must be careful, as small pieces of bone may come off. Wash the rabbit and remove all its fat. Add the liver (optional). Reserve everything in a large container.

Put the peeled garlic cloves and the chilli in a mortar. You can remove the seeds from the latter if you prefer, but this spicy touch is important to the recipe. Crush everything to a paste, then little by little add the paprika, vinegar, white wine and finally a handful of coarse salt.

Cover the pieces of rabbit with the marinade, the bay leaf and the rest of the spices. All the pieces need to be well covered so that they soak up the flavour well and the wine and vinegar act to soften the meat. Cover in an airtight container and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. After the maceration time, remove the rabbit from the marinade.

Add the olive oil to a deep casserole and place over a low-medium heat. When the oil is hot, drain the rabbit and, with a fork, take one of the pieces of rabbit at a time and place them in the hot oil. Fry the rabbit, for around 15 minutes over low-medium heat, then increase to hot, so that they are done well and golden brown. Remove and place them in a large casserole.

Turn off the heat and pour the remaining marinade over the oil in which the rabbit was cooked. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, so that the alcohol in the wine and vinegar evaporates. Add the salmorejo to the casserole with the rabbit and simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat, until the rabbit is tender. Turn the pieces of rabbit after 15 minutes, if necessary. If it runs out of liquid, add a little water. Season to your liking. 

Allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving and sprinkle with a little chopped fresh parsley or coriander. Serve with a side of Papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes).

Plaza del Chicharro in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

El Chicharro (German = Bastardmakrele) Koppchen, CC BY 3.0

The Plaza del Chicharro, is a small square located in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, near the Plaza del Príncipe. The original name of the square was Alférez Provisional, until it was changed after a neighbourhood initiative, after the emblematic allegorical sculpture of El Chicharro was placed in the centre of it.

El Chicharro, is a bronze sculpture of a chicharro or Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), which has become one of the city's most loved symbols. Chicharrero is a name given to the inhabitants of the island of Tenerife.

The origina sculpture was donated to the city by the "Liqui-Liquis" Venezuelan Cultural Group as a gift to the city and the island, installed in 1979 at the end of Calle San José, near the Plaza del Príncipe. At the foot of the monument a plaque read: "La Comunidad Canario-Venezolana al Noble Pueblo de Tenerife" (The Canarian-Venezuelan Community to the Noble People of Tenerife).

The current sculpture, made of bronze, has an approximate weight of 600 kilos and, since November 2003, sat on a basalt stone base. This statue is a replica of the original made by the students of the School of Industrialists of Caracas. El Chicharro had been the victim of vandalism attacks, but in 2000 it was stolen and taken to Valencia, where it was narrowly saved from being melted down by a scrap dealer. Despite this, the original image was found in very poor condition, so the replica was created, retaining only the wave in which the fish appears to be jumping from the original, to be included in the new sculpture. Sculptors Francisco Javier Rodríguez de Armas and Evelina Martín Rodríguez created the current sculpture, which was officially inaugurated on November 4, 2003.

Plaza del Chicharro in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Tenerife in October 2021

Día de la Hispanidad Desfile Patrulla Águila, 12 Oct 2020 Thomas HolbachCC BY-SA 4.0

A little later in the year than usual, the Pinolere Crafts Fair 2021, in its XXXVI (36th) edition, is taking place on 8th, 9th and 10th October 2021, both at the Pinolere Ethnographic Parkas well as online. This year's edition is sub-titled, "Dreams on Paper and Card". The organization decided to postpone it from the usual slot on the calendar (the first weekend of September), to guarantee its celebration and not have it suspended a few hours after its start, as happened last year.

On 12 October each year the Fiesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Day)national public holiday, is celebrated throughout Spain. Since 1997, this date has also been Spain's Armed Forces Day, marked each year with a military parade in Madrid. This year the Armed Forces will once again parade through the centre of Madrid, presided over by King Felipe and Queen Letiza, but it's expected to be held in a somewhat smaller format, to avoid crowds.

There are also the following municipal holidays this month: 
  • 4 October: Festividad del Santísimo Cristo de la Salud in Arona
  • 11 October: Festivity of Santa Úrsula in Adeje
  • 18 October: Festividad del Santísimo Cristo del Calvario in El Tanque
  • 21 October: Festivity of Santa Úrsula in Santa Úrsula 
  • 25 October: Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios in Buenavista del Norte

The festivities in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary will take place in the Plaza de la Ermita de Machado

The festivities of the district of Machado (El Rosario) in honour of the Virgen del Rosario, patron of the municipality to which it gives its name, will be held again in its 2021 edition, repeating the successful formula of the festivities of La Esperanza: the creation of a Cultural Enclosure with which guarantees the security measures and the online broadcasting of the events so that a greater number of people can enjoy the programmed events. 

The festivities take place between Friday 1 and Sunday 10 October.

The events begin on Friday, October 1, starting at 9:00 p.m., with a tribute concert to the festivals of the Canary Islands, which will feature performances by the Los Ideales orchestra and the singers Pepe Benavente, Falo Rodríguez, Argelio Rodríguez and Lope Gallardo. This event will be broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Latin music station Radio Rumberos FM.

On Saturday, October 2, starting at 8:00 p.m., it will be the turn of the Big Band Revelation, a new format devised by the Barranco Hondo Revelation orchestra in a "big band" format. To end the first weekend of celebration, on Sunday 3 the first Eucharist will be celebrated in honor of the Virgin of Our Lady of the Rosary, with the participation of the MCA "Princesa Yaiza", and starting at 7:00 p.m. the II Meeting of Soloists, under the musical direction of Marcos del Castillo and with the voices of Miriam Reyes, Iván Quintana, Javi Hernández, Miriam Cruz and Virginia Torres. This meeting will be broadcast on municipal social networks.

On the occasion of the festival of Our Lady of the Rosary, on Thursday, October 7, which will be a holiday in the municipality of El Rosario, the solemn Eucharist will be officiated in the hermitage of Machado from 12:30 p.m. and, from At 7:00 p.m., a special concert by Los Cantadores will take place, which can also be followed through the municipal social networks.

Finally, on Thursday, October 8, at 7:30 p.m., the traditional mass will be offered for the deceased of the neighbourhood and the municipality; while on Sunday the 10th, at 12:30 pm, the festivities will conclude with the Solemn Eucharist, with the accompaniment of the MCA «Princesa Yaiza».

El Rosario recupera sus fiestas patronales, que se celebran en Machado del 1 al 10 de octubre

On the occasion of the celebration of the National Holiday 2021 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Canary Islands Command in collaboration with the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, and with special vigilance of the COVID measures, has coordinated the holding of the following events, with the attendance of various civil and military authorities planned:

On Saturday October 9, at 12:00 hours, in the Calle Valentín Sanz (Plaza del Príncipe) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife will take place a solemn raising of the National Flag followed by an act of tribute to those who gave their lives by Spain, chaired by the General Chief of Staff of the Canary Islands Command. An Honours Unit will participate made up of an inter-service company, with a section of the Army, one of the Navy and one of the Civil Guard and the Air Force, with music from the Band of the Canary Islands Command and the War Band No. 2 of the 16th Canary Brigade.

On Monday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m., at the Teatro Guimerá in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a concert will be offered by the Band of the Canary Islands Command, under the direction of Lieutenant Manuel Castrejón, with the participation of the Band of War nº 2 of the Brigade Canarias XVI. The concert will be chaired by the Military Commander of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The National Holiday (Oct 12) is the day when all Spaniards remember the millenary history of the country, what we have achieved together is valued and the commitment to what remains to be shared is reaffirmed. In this sense, Spain has the Armed Forces as an effective instrument that contributes to National Security and the defence of its interests, at any time, wherever they are required.


After the suspension in February of the XVI Rallyesprint AtogoOctober 8 and 9 are the days chosen for the 16th edition of the Atogo Rallyesprint, which is scored for the regional and provincial championships. A limit has been established at 85 participants and there's been a good response. The registration quota is already full, with five teams on the waiting list. At the request of the drivers, there will be a change of direction at the start of the race, leaving in the morning from the Las Chafiras area, heading south-north and ending with the three passes in the afternoon heading north-south, from San Isidro to Las Chafiras.
'A la tercera va la vencida' (third time lucky), as the Escudería Daute Realejos, reactivated, for the third time so far this year, the registration period for the popular 𝟗ª 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐨 (9th Palo Blanco Hillclimb), now scheduled for 15 and 16 October, after it was postponed in both March and July. 

This reorganization of the calendar has led to the two climbs in the north of Tenerife, Palo Blanco and La Guancha, being placed consecutively in the program, which undoubtedly may have affected the first of those, however there are 54 drivers registered in Speed, 8 teams in Sport Regularity and 9 in Formula Rally.


The XVI Edition of the Feboda Wedding Fair 2021 returns to the Tenerife Fairs and Congress Centre from October 22 to 24, 2021. During these three days, visitors to the fair will be able to see all that is on offer on the island in terms of weddings and celebrations.

After a year without the fair in face-to-face format due to the pandemic, Feboda 2021 returns with renewed hope and with several novelties that will make this edition a very special event.

The Feboda fair has established itself as an annual event due to the great importance it has for the sector. Couples who are going to get married in 2022 will undoubtedly visit our facilities to prepare the details of such a special day, as well as those people who in the future are thinking of holding a special celebration.

This 2021 edition will be very special because in the last year many celebrations were prevented from taking place, so the expectations are very high. For visitors, Feboda is an event they have been waiting for months due to its usefulness and variety of offer, especially in these times when it is necessary, more than ever, to be in the hands of professionals who make their celebration a unique moment. 

The participation of a hundred companies, distributed on 140 stands, in an exhibition space of 8,000 square meters is planned.

Feboda 2021 and Tenerife Volcanic Fashion, are to be held simultaneously, seeking synergies between two sectors as close as fashion and celebrations, but each maintaining its own identity and specificities. The two events will share common spaces, the most important being the bridal fashion runway.


VIII Annual Craft Show in La Laguna

The Council of La Laguna recently announced the eighth edition of the Handicraft Exhibition of the municipality that returns after its postponement in 2020 due to the pandemic. The initiative, one of the main showcases of local crafts, will be held over three days, from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 October, and will feature 40 individual covered stands distributed around the Plaza de La Concepción in accordance with the current health security protocols.


The 47th Orvecame Isla Tenerife Rally, organised by Club Rallyten Sport, will be held on October 22 and 23, 2021. With the club's philosophy of making a beautiful, competitive and demanding route, the itinerary of El Isla - as it's colloquially known - includes 2 stages, a total of 9 specials and 107 kms of timed sections, going through up to 11 municipalities, with Santa Cruz de Tenerife being the epicentre of the event, hosting in the Parque Marítimo y Palmentum de Santa Cruz all the main infrastructure of the event. The administrative-technical verifications and the delivery of documentation will take place on Friday, October 22 between 09:30 and 13:30, thus promoting the use of outdoor spaces and the good weather that the capital offers in the month of October.

The two specials to be held on Friday afternoon, and which will serve as a warm-up, are: “Medianías-Palo Blanco” 5:13 pm and “Icod El Alto-La Guancha” – Ctra. La Fajana, passing through El LagarLa Guancha, Pinalete, La Tabona Reservoir to La Mancha - at 5:51 p.m., taking advantage of the natural light offered by the still summer schedule.

Stage “2”, on Saturday, begins at 9:18 am with “Los Loros” – descending direction -, “Fasnia” –from north to south, leaving at “Las Eras Altas” - 10.17h and “Arico” at 10.56 am h. This loop repeats at 1:44, 2:43 and 3:22 p.m. respectively. At 15.55h, there will be a regrouping at the Puertito de Güímar, to face the last special of the day: “Cuesta Las Tablas” – heading to Santa Cruz de Tenerife with departure at the “Cuatro Esquinas” junction - at 17.00. The rally ends at 5:50 p.m. with the arrival at the Parque Marítimo and Palmetum de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

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.