Vitoria, Spain, Basque Country: learn Spanish and enjoy the Basque cuisine
In the Basque Country, eating means much more than just satisfying a basic need. Cooking and eating are vital parts of every day life for the Basque people, who argue, do business and make long lasting friendships around a tablecloth.
Basque cuisine, based on products from both land and sea, is famous in the rest of the country and abroad.
Here you can try both the most traditional as well as the most innovative cuisine, as well as one of the most famous wines in the world - the Rioja wine.
Fish, be it from the Basque coast or the remote fishing-grounds, exploited for centuries by the arrantzales (Basque fishermen), is the star of Basque cuisine. Hake, red bream, tuna and salted cod, prepared in a number of ways, are the foundations of most recipes. You can also find the more modest species such as sardines or anchovies, as well as turbot, anglerfish or sea bass.
In addition, the tapas, called “pintxos” in the Basque Country, are real miniature pleasures in and of themselves.
In the Basque Country, you do not necessarily need to sit down if you want to eat a good meal. The ritual of the “txikiteo”, that is, groups of friends who go from bar to bar drinking txikitos (small glasses of wine) or zuritos (small glasses of beer), has been extended to food: the tempting “pintxos”. While some of these small portions are quite simple, others have reached such a level of sophistication that they are already being called a miniature cuisine. Many bars proudly exhibit their own unique creations and specialties. We are sure you will succumb to them.
If you want to do more than just read, read the typical recipes of the Basque cuisine and try some of the typical recipes for yours...
and enjoy your meal!
