Basque Country

Basques are particularly obsessed with food, which is unsurprising given the region's abundance of exceptional and edible natural resources. With sparkling rivers, cold seas, verdant forests, and lush valleys, the Basque Country boasts some of the finest ingredients globally. From perfectly sauced fish to homemade stews rich in peppers and onions, Basque cuisine stands out for its ability to select superb ingredients and elevate their flavors, rather than masking them.

In this small region, everything important happens around a dining table. This table takes various forms: a bar counter full of skewers, a weathered wooden block polished by years of Sunday lunches in rustic farmhouses, or a pristine white tablecloth in a Michelin-starred restaurant. Yet, what truly distinguishes Basque cuisine is  its embrace “other restaurants”: homes, gastronomic societies, cider houses, cooking competitions and fairs that have kept the culinary traditions alive, preserving recipes for generations. This dynamic culinary landscape continuously reinvents itself, creating a rich tapestry of culinary innovation rooted in age-old traditions.

It is no surprise that Basque cuisine is world famous. Their ingredients include the freshest products: freshly caught seafood, excellent meat and game, agricultural products, oils, goat cheese, hi proof ciders and wine.. The Basque people have cultivated a sense of taste that can distinguish between a local fish and one caught in distant waters further sharpened by an insistence on natural, simplistic cuisine. 

Cooking:

In Basque cuisine, simple is not synonymous with easy. When someone describes Basque cuisine as simple, they are referring to the refined and perfected nature of the food, characterized by a minimalist aesthetic and a concise list of ingredients. The hallmark of Basque cuisine is complemented by the majestic landscape of the region. It showcases nature's gifts without obscuring them with excessive spices, thick sauces, or complex cooking techniques. The Basques' incredible oral tradition and collective memory have preserved their oldest culinary traditions, rooted in the spirit of the past.

Product

Basques value the inherent flavors of ingredients, emphasizing their natural essence over masking them with sauces or spices. Basques invest time and money in finding and buying the highest-quality food products, particularly fish and meat. Rather than shopping at supermarkets, it is typical for Basques to visit specialized stores for fish, meat, cheese, and fresh produce. Having a trusted supplier is a point of pride, and conversations about the top market stall or the most flavorful butcher’s chistorra are frequent topics of discussion. 

Seasonality

Basques take pleasure in savoring their favorite fish or mushrooms during the peak months of flavor when they are tastiest, then eagerly moving on to the next seasonal delicacy. They seamlessly go from one mini-season to the next, from stew to anchovies or talo, from chistorra to chops paired with cider, which means a constant rotation of seasonal specialties when they gather around a table to share meals.

Methods

Basques gravitate towards unrefined, rustic cooking methods, such as grilling over charcoal or enjoying the fusion of flavors in a hearty stew, rather than elegant touches. They lean towards primitive elements and simple garnishes, emphasizing simplicity and the natural essence of ingredients in their cooking.

A Basque’s day of eating:

It is impossible for a Basque to conceive a celebration without food, which contributes to many socially coded “meal moments”.

The day typically begins with morning coffee followed by a lightly savory snack enjoyed around eleven or twelve in the morning, often accompanied by a drink. Lunch is considered the most substantial, abundant, and important meal of the day, which is eaten around two in the afternoon on the SPanish side, and at half past welve or one on the French side. 

On weekends, it is common to gather at local cafes or bars for drinks before the main family lunch, while during the week, grabbing a drink and snack with friends after work but before dinner is a typical routine. The phenomenon of enjoying drinks and snacks before meals gave rise to the renowned pintxo culture of the region.

The day usually winds down with a light evening meal, perhaps to end the night after some pinxtos. However, food isn't solely prepared at home or in bars. The troko (or gastronomic society) plays a crucial role in Basque cuisine, serving as a foundation even more fundamental than restaurants. Behind the doors of these private clubs, ordinary chefs hone their techniques through exciting friendly competition and excitement of friendly competition, preserving and evolving Basque culinary traditions with a sense of camaraderie and occasion.

Gastronomic Societies:

Basques join these gastronomic societies to come together around tables and stoves to cook, converse, and socialize. Members of these societies convene in trokos, the organization’s owned place, that are equipped with professional stainless steel kitchens and an adjoining rooms filled with rows of tables.

These societies were predominantly limited to male members, with women only invited on specific occasions and never allowed in the kitchen. However, over the last twenty years, this standard has changed, with many gastronomic societies now welcoming both men and women without restrictions.

The first gastronomic societies was named La Fraternal, established in 1843 in San Sebastian, with the purpose of providing a venue for eating and singing. The oldest continuously operating gastronomic society is the Unión Artesana in San Sebastián, founded in 1870. In 1900, Kañoietan emerged as the first society established exclusively for dining, marking a new phase in the evolution of these societies. Today, there are over 1,300 registered gastronomic societies.

Members invite friends to dinner with other members, and on the day of the dinner, they go shopping for fresh ingredients and carry them through the streets back to the troko. They crack open beers and uncork bottles of wine before beginning the cooking process. The meals prepared are traditional, following the instructions of the designated cook for the evening, in a huge clay pot or a stainless steel pot, and served on a wooden table. 

Members of gastronomic societies must uphold respect and good faith for their fellow members and their trokos. Members are expected to tally up the wine, oil, cooking time , and anything else consumed at the end of the night. Empty wine bottles are stored in a row on the table to help make the task easier. The bill is paid later or added to the members' account. 

It is a truly Basque way of eating: cooking in company, respecting good faith, and enjoying a good after-dinner meal, the time spent around the table, talking and drinking, and a little community singing.