Almogrote Gomero - Canarian Cheese and Tomato Paste
Almogrote is a type of paste that is traditional to La Gomera and which is prepared to use up over-ripe cheese. It is spread on toasted bizcocho bread and is a wonderful appetizer to accompany a glass of wine. This is one of the tapas that has crossed the island borders and is now known and served across the entire Archipelago. The word almogrote, which is most likely a variant of almodrote (a sauce made from oil, garlic and other ingredients) is not found in the Spanish dictionary. It is always prepared with a mortar traditional to the Columbian Island that is made of coarse wood and has a handle, but unlike mojos that have to be crushed by hand to maintain their culinary properties, almogrote can be prepared in an electric mixer as long as the blades are strong enough to cut through the hard cheese.