Neighbourhood Prepares for Monumental Canarian Stew
Residents of La Florida are gearing up for one of the most anticipated moments of the year: the traditional puchero (Canarian stew). This event is a key part of the Fiestas de La Florida in honour of San Antonio Abad and the Virgen de La Esperanza, which are officially designated as being of Tourist Interest to the Canary Islands. This massive stew, one of the largest prepared in the archipelago, is made and distributed through the collaboration of neighbours and other local groups, who begin preparations and gathering vegetables from local plots days in advance.
A Social Media Sensation and Culinary Giant
The gastronomy content creators @guachinchesmodernos have spotlighted this event, sharing the tradition that brings thousands together each year with their followers. “It’s the biggest puchero in the whole of the Canaries, they give out thousands of portions and it’s a festival of tourist interest,” they state. This coming Saturday, 31 January, is expected to be a huge gathering as in previous editions. To prepare the stew, around 70 industrial-sized cauldrons are used, cooking more than 4,000 kilograms of ingredients, mostly produce grown by the residents of La Florida themselves.
The Ingredients of Tradition
Vegetables and meat are the staple ingredients of the traditional recipe, but here the quantities are staggering. The list includes over 700 kilos of pumpkin, over 700 kilos of chayote, 400 kilos of cabbage, 90 kilos of green beans, 90 kilos of carrots, 20 kilos of sweetcorn, 18 sacks of potatoes, 50 kilos of sweet potato, 80 kilos of chickpeas, pork ribs, bacon, 50 kilos of leeks, 20 kilos of garlic, 4 sacks of onions, 15 kilos of parsley, and 250 kilos of gofio (toasted grain flour).
Slow Cooking with Teide’s Retama
All of this is slow-cooked over a minimum of two hours using dried retama broom wood from Teide National Park, following the time-honoured recipe. Each cauldron is filled with 125 kilos of food. This year the event is being held in a large space opposite the football pitch, with distribution starting at 14:00 on Saturday, 31 January.
Music, Livestock and Transport Advice
Alongside the stew, the day will feature performances by the groups Tres Quintos and El Golpito, who will provide the musical atmosphere for one of the most crowded celebrations. “From 15:00 there is live music and in the morning there’s a livestock fair,” report the content creators. Due to the large expected turnout, using public transport to reach the event is recommended. Titsa is reinforcing bus lines 345 and 373 and will also provide a free shuttle bus service from Avenida Sor Soledad Cobián and Calle Maninindra-La Florida until 18:00.
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