The first Agüimes Dressed Olives Competition

The country's olives, with their corresponding dressing, have been a traditional complement to local gastronomy and one of the most popular appetizers on the tables of the Southeast of Gran Canaria. In Agüimes they are also part of the local culinary heritage. That is why the City Council has organized the first edition of the Dressed Olives Contest, collecting an idea from the municipality's own restaurateurs.

In this first edition, held this Thursday at the Hotel Rural Casa de los Camellos, the main prize in the amateur category went to Antonia del Carmen Guerra, with her 'Antoñita's seasoned olives'; the second prize went to Arcadio Martín, with his 'verdial olive seasoned in the style of the grandmothers of Guayadeque'; and the third prize went to Felisa Santana with 'my mother-in-law's recipe'.

In the professional category, the first prize went to 'La Plaza olives', from Bar Café Cá Migue; The second prize was received by Finca Viñas Aguayro, for its 'verdial olives with grandmother's secret'; and the third prize went to 'grandmother Carmensa's olives' presented by the Aragüeme Gastronomic Museum.

From a total of 13 candidates, the awards jury chose the winners using the blind tasting procedure, scoring the visual appearance, presentation of the dish and taste. The use of local ingredients was also taken into account. And the Contest was not only focused on promoting Agüimes olives, but also on promoting the consumption of kilometer zero agri-food products.

The awards ceremony was attended by the mayor of Agüimes, Óscar Hernández, the Councilor for Rural Development, Jéssica Santana, and the director of the Gran Canaria Unit at Hoteles Escuela de Canarias (HECANSA), Manuel Sánchez. The recipes from the professional category can be tried these days, as an appetizer, in the different participating establishments.