The call of the almond blossoms returns to the municipality of Santiago del Teide, one of the natural spectacles that arouses the most interest in Tenerife. For the second consecutive year, flowering is brought forward a couple of weeks –it usually takes place between the end of January and the beginning of February– due to a warmer-than-normal start to the year. But the southern municipality already has everything ready to facilitate the enjoyment of some trails in which the ocher tones of the volcanic landscapes and the greens of the pine forests contrast these days with the white and pink tones of the thousands of small flowers of the almond trees. in the surroundings of the historic center, the accesses to the municipality, the Chinyero Nature Reserve and the Corona Forestal Natural Park.
More demanding pateos and for the whole family -even for pets-, an agro-artisan market, gastronomic workshops, cocktail exhibition, restaurants and bars with special menus… From next Saturday and until February 20, a multitude of activities will revolve around Santiago del Teide around the flowers of the almond trees and their fruits, which will bring thousands of people –even from outside the Island– to the town, as has been the case for more than a decade since the City Council has made a strong commitment to the color they adopt these trees, many of which grow wild along the roads of Santiago.
It all starts on Saturday
The mayor of Santiago del Teide, Emilio Navarro (PP), yesterday presented a new edition of the Almond Blossom Campaign 2022, which begins next Saturday with two long and two short routes, as well as another for pets and the opening of the market . «The flowering of the almond tree is one of the most important acts that the municipality has and that has had a great impact at the insular and regional level. For us, it is also a tourism product within our commitment to ecotourism,” said Emilio Navarro. The mayor explained that for a month, “people who come to Santiago del Teide will enjoy the spectacle of the white and pink color of the almond blossoms that, in contrast to the lava flows, leave postcards that remain engraved in the memory of those who visit us.
Although this fruit tree arrived in the Canary Islands shortly after the Castilian Conquest (at the end of the 15th century), its plantation proliferated in these volcanic landscapes, at the foot of the Teide National Park, from the middle of the 19th century, when the cochineal insect -an insect that it parasitizes prickly pears and from which dyes for fabrics are extracted – sank and landowners were forced to look for alternatives. At that time they thought that the ideal was the almond tree. This is how these fruit trees originally from Asia were planted in this part of the island. The eruptions, the last of which was Chinyero in 1909, had left the midlands without fertile land, so resistant plants were needed. Currently, they grow wild on the sides of roads, between the walls of abandoned farms, on terraces, harassed by bees, for whom these flowers are a delicacy. Its pinkish tones can already be seen, but the best is left for the next four weeks, when all the activities designed by the Consistory of Santiago del Teide will take place.
wild trees
Today the almond trees populate some places that are exploited by farmers thanks to the centennial cession of land by the Consistory of Santiago. No one can own these estates but the assignment can be inherited. The higher ground, however, has been abandoned due to the impossibility of using vehicles or animals for cargo. The fruits that are collected in September become some of the most typical desserts, as is the case in Gran Canaria and La Palma, the other two Canary Islands with an almond tradition: bienmesabe, trout, channera cakes, almond cheese , cookies or gofio pellets.
Santiago del Teide realized the hook of the almond tree and has brought together the primary sector, restaurants, commerce and culture around this fruit tree that has never aroused as much expectation as in this 21st century, even though it has been giving away this natural spectacle for decades. The clearest example is the gastronomic offer centered on the almond tree that will be offered in the next four weeks by restaurants and bars in Santiago del Teide. Twenty companies participate in this edition, some of which have nothing to do with gastronomy, such as Casa Aloe Vera, which offers an almond gel for the relaxation of the many hikers who are expected in the upper part of the municipality, o Floristería El Valle, which prepares the Special Almendro Flower Bouquet.
Even almond nuggets
Pork secret with almonds, almond cheese, assorted sweets with prominence for this dried fruit, chicken strips and fish loin in almond sauce, cod montadito with almonds, almond blossom crepe, pork medallions with almonds, mini hamburgers blond cow with almond sauce… You can even enjoy the Arguayo Floración Breakfast and nuggets with almonds in the different restaurant establishments in the municipality of Santiago such as Bar Soto, Plaza Cafeteria, Bar Parada, El Café, Arepera Kilometer 101, Tropic II, Santiago del Teide Restaurant, Crepería Cositas, El Patio, El Retamar or Tropic Arguayo Cafeteria.
Other establishments have also joined, such as Congelados El Valle, which provides packages of typical Canarian almonds; the Santiago del Teide pharmacy, with almond oils; the Las Lolas Minimarket, with the Floración Snack; Gas station El Señor del Valle, with almond cakes; Daluis hardware store, with the hat of the almond tree route; and even a mechanical workshop, Luis’s, which has launched the Pre-ITV Special Flowering.
photography contest
The Councilor for Culture of the City Council of Santiago del Teide, Sergio Mendoza, assured yesterday in the presentation that activities that have a great acceptance are kicking with pets, as well as photography and story contests. Also present at the event was the Councilor for Commerce, Krysten Martín, who highlighted the new edition of the gastronomic show, which includes workshops and exhibitions.
