Basque Country gastronomy - Basque Country tourism

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Basque Country Information: Enyoy your meal, Sir. - BASQUE COUNTRY GASTRONOMY

THE FLAVOUR OF THE HARBOURS

Taking a stroll through the Basque harbours at meal times means finding oneself enveloped in the warm smell of grilled sardines or txitxarro (mackerel). This blue fish, brought in by the coastal fishermen, is barbecued outdoors, and served fresh and flavoursome, with only a touch of hot oil, vinegar, garlic and hot pepper. You mustn't miss the sardines which, though typical of Santurtzi, are to be found all along the coast, or the anchovies and bigger fish such as the aforementioned mackerel or ventresca (underside) of bonito.

MINIATURE PLEASURES
You don't have to sit at a table to eat well in the Basque Country. The ritual known as txikiteo, i.e. going from bar to bar in groups and drinking txikitos (small glasses of wine) or zuritos (the same of beer) is now accompanied by the partaking of tempting hors d'oeuvres, known as pintxos. Although some of these delicacies are simple, other much more sophisticated versions have earned the name of miniature cuisine. Many bars proudly exhibit their own creations and specialities. You'll ,not be able to resist the temptation.

STRANGE-LOOKING DISHES
There are at least two local dishes that never fail to catch the eye of the outsider. One of these is squid cooked in its ink, hence the not very typical black sauce. But don't be put off, you'll love it. The other one is elvers, baby eels that look a bit like worms. Fried with a hot pepper in an enamelled clay dish, they are absolutely delicious. It's traditional to eat them on the evening before San Sebastian Day, but their scarcity and astronomical price is obliging establishments to use surimi substitutes.

VERY SWEET
Although the cakes and pastries produced in Vitoria-Gasteiz are of justifiable fame, almost every town and village in the Basque Country has its own typical sweetmeat. The goxuas, vasquitos and neskitas of Vitoria-Gasteiz, the custard-filled hojaldres of Laguardia, the pasteles de arroz and custardfilled canutil/os of Bilbao, the baracaldesitas of Barakaldo, the kokotxas of Markina, the pantxineta of Donostia San Sebastian, the opillas given by godmothers from Irun and Hondarribia, the tejas and xaxus of Tolosa and the rellenos of Bergara are all well worth the taste.

THE CIDER RITUAL
The habit of going to cider houses or hangars where cider is made has now become an unusual gastronomic alternative. During the season, from January to May, these cider houses are enthusiastically attended by lively crowds who come to drink the cider flowing from a tap in the barrels or kupelas while eating cod omelette, T-bone steak, walnuts, quince jelly and cheese. It's normal in the traditional cider houses to dine standing up, thus making it easier to wander to and from the kupelas for replenishment.

	More Basque Country Information
Basque Country History Iron to Titanium ages Tower-Houses & Castles Basque Country monuments More history Santiago de Compostela route Fiestas and traditions A country with its own personality More Basque fiestas Culture Basque Country gastronomy Top class food and drink Nature For the extremely active Nature Reserves All roads lead to this little country Biscay beaches

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