Quesadillas Adrián Gutiérrez e Hijas
Taste the quesadillas of El Hierro, a tradition that has stood the test of time.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
What are quesadillas?
Quesadillas are a typical, handmade pie in the shape of a flower. Their main ingredient is soft cheese or fresh cheese from the island of El Hierro.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
It is so popular that an iconic image from the island's airports is that of travelers boarding planes with a parcel containing this Canarian cheese tart. An exportable icon that is made in small, artisan, family-run bakeries.
One of these is Adrián Gutiérrez e Hijas, a hundred-year-old business founded by Adrián Gutiérrez, following in the footsteps of his father, Aniceto. The quesadillas baked in their wood-fired oven have been made to the same recipe since 1900.
After 70 years at the helm of the business, Adrián passed the baton to his daughters, Marisol and Esperanza, to manage the production and sale of the quesadillas. Today his grandchildren, Isabel and Eutimio, run the business.
Dough for the quesadillas (2022)Cámaras de Comercio de Canarias
Isabel remembers fondly the time she spent as a young girl in the factory with her brother. “We had so much fun, we loved being in the factory, seeing how involved my aunts were in the quesadilla production process …” That's how their love for the industry began, and the generational handover was secured.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Ocean views (2022-12)Cámaras de Comercio de Canarias
Today, Isabel runs the commercial side of the business. Although she lives in Tenerife, she often visits the factory, where she can be found selling quesadillas in the store. Eutimio, on the other hand, manages quesadilla production in the factory.
The secret of the quesadillas
Adrián Gutiérrez e Hijas' quesadillas have a unique flavor thanks to the ingredients used, and the fact they are baked in a wood-fired oven.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
“Cheese, sugar, flour, eggs, lemon, aniseed, and cinnamon" are the ingredients that go into these delicious sweets, explains Isabel. It is important that the cheese is fresh or soft cheese from El Hierro, made from goat's, cow's, and sheep's milk.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
As for the method: "Firstly we prepare the pastry as the base for the quesadilla, then the different types of cheese are mixed together, and then the other ingredients added until they form a smooth paste. This paste is shared out into the different molds and then baked at 350 degrees.”
A place where time stands still
The Adrián Gutiérrez e Hijas quesadilla factory has never moved from its original location in the island's capital. The building where the two siblings work today is the same in which they grew up.
Tap to explore
The store is adjacent to the factory and receives many customers; mostly local islanders, but also from other islands, from the mainland, and to a lesser extent foreign tourists.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
Isabel and Eutimio are helped by five other members of staff
More than just quesadillas
This family business also produces marzipan, macaroons, donuts, and meringues. “We have always made other sweet treats, but the time we can devote to them is based on the current demand for our quesadillas.”
Poblado de GuineaOriginal Source: El Hierro Island Council
Sales tied to tourism
Sales of quesadillas have always been closely linked to tourism. In 2011, the submarine eruption of the Tagoro volcano attracted a lot of visitors to the island, once the emergency situation had been stabilized, and this led to a spike in sales.
Valverde durante el confinamientoOriginal Source: El Hierro Island Council
During the COVID-19 pandemic, through the lockdown in 2020, the factory continued producing quesadillas. However, production was on a smaller scale, and they only made what could be sent to other islands. There were very few sales in El Hierro.
Bringing down of the Virgin of Los ReyesOriginal Source: El Hierro Island Council
“La Bajada de la Virgen is the name of a festival that takes place every four years, and is a very popular holiday both for locals and foreigners. The celebrations attract a lot of visitors to the island, and we make the most of that at the factory.”
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasOriginal Source: El Hierro Island Council
Who wouldn't want to buy the famous sweet as a souvenir from El Hierro?
Generational succession?
Generational succession poses a tricky situation for the future. There is just one member of the family, Isabel's son, who may or may not take over this artisan business so entrenched in the identity of the island of El Hierro.
Gastronomía herreña by Alvarita PadrónOriginal Source: El Hierro Island Council
Alvarita Padrón, a resident of El Hierro, has written a book on the quesadillas and the island's food in general, with a collection of typical recipes. It is probably the most genuine source of information that exists on this traditional sweet from El Hierro.
Quesadillas de Adrián Gutiérrez e hijasCámaras de Comercio de Canarias
At the end of the chapter on quesadillas are the following verses:
From La Palma, rock candy!,
from La Gomera, donuts!,
from Tenerife, wine!,
from El Hierro, quesadillas!
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.