Basque Cuisine

This article was published at EITb:

Basque cooking, one of the best cuisines in the world

This statement is corroborated by everyone who visits this region and eats at a bar, restaurant, steakhouse or cider farm - the food is very good in the Basque Country.

Traditional cooking based on the quality of its products and their simple preparation, with roots in public tradition and in which seafood plays a special part, although we should not forget our tasty meats and local products such as beans, cheese and junket. These and other products complete the extensive repertoire of our traditional gastronomy.

In the seventies, after researching, innovating and extending the repertoire of traditional Basque cooking and after a first contact with French cuisine, a group of young chefs came up with the idea of the so-called New Basque Cuisine, and today some of the leading chefs in this movement are household names. As a result of their experimentation and research, the group came up with new ingredients, new ways of preparing food, new aromas and combinations, creating an exquisite and creative cuisine.

Speaking of the Basque gastronomy, it would be impossible not to mention the Popular Gastronomic Societies, which can be found all over the region. These masculine redoubts represent a unique phenomenon and maintain the attachment to local culinary traditions very much alive. Without them, it would be difficult to explain the deep-rooted popularity of Basque cuisine. In these Societies, men cook for their friends and relatives, making gastronomy the basis for their social relations.

Another of the curiosities of Basque cooking are the "pinchos" or "tapas", small portions served in most bars and restaurants and which represent another opportunity to try the delicacies of our cuisine. The Basque Country offers a wide range of restaurants, steakhouses, seafood restaurants, cider farms, etc., for all tastes and pockets.

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