A staple in the Canary Islands? Go figure.
The name gofio, which denotes flour made from roasted corn and other starchy plants, traveled to the Caribbean with emigrants from the Canaries. In that archipelago, which sits not far from the northwest coast of Africa, gofio is still a staple food and also finds its way into many other recipes. But by its position on Aurora Grocery's counter near many other sweets, this gofio con azucar (toasted corn flour with sugar, 0.5 oz., 60 cents) was clearly intended to be eaten as is.
The gofio clumped up in the humidity as I shimmied the paper cone; it's more finely ground than appearance suggests. As for the flavor, imagine the crumbled bits at the bottom of a box of Sugar Pops (a name since euphemized by the Kellogg's company to Corn Pops), and you'll have a good idea.
Aurora Grocery
1325 Southern Blvd. (Freeman-Jennings Sts.), Foxhurst, Bronx
