Going around in circles

You probably would not think to come to La Palma to see the windmills but there are still some worth seeing as their arms stretch out into a yawn of contented retirement. But it used to be quite different, certainly in the mid-twentieth century when the area of Garafia in the north was considered as the island’s granary, such was the vast amount of cereals produced in the province. And dating back before the advent of windmills was the circular stone threshing floor, cow driven as it trudged around and around, and you will certainly discover many of these still in evidence.

So, in the days before chips, either micro or fried, the humble gofio was staple fodder for the Palmerans. It is one of those things that quite frankly you can either take or leave and most of today’s youngster will certainly opt for the latter. But this flour type substance saw the Palmerans through some hard times, filling their stomachs and giving them sustained energy for working the steep terraces. If you mention gofio to anyone over the age of 50, they will nod sagely and tell you how good it is for you.

There are several different varieties made from a mixture from cereals such as wheat, rye, maize, barley, and also lentils, black chickpeas and broad beans. The required ingredients are mixed, roasted and then ground together. Gofio is eaten in various ways and originally the goat shepherd would take a supply with him to mix with freshly squeezed goats’ milk, still warm from the udder. In the days of big families, where 12 children were just an average, the breakfast menu soley consisted of trusty gofio and goats milk. Nowadays, at home, it is added to a ‘potaje,’ giving body and a certain sweetness to this traditional vegetable and pork casserole. As a starter to a meal, pork fat is cut into cubes, coated in gofio and fried.

To the foreigner, gofio is something of an acquired taste but you can try it in many ways, such as mixing it with natural yoghurt, added as a thickener to any soup or casserole or gofio balls made with honey and water mixed to a dough and chilled - great for a Palmeran pic-nic.