The basque

A distinctive feature of Basque cuisine (regional cuisine of the Basque Country) is the unification of the traditions of the cuisines of Spain and France. The proximity to the sea had a huge influence on the development of gastronomic traditions here: the Basque cuisine is based on fish dishes and seafood-based meals. Beef is more often consumed from meat than pork - mainly grilled steaks with blood or medium-grafted.

It should be noted that in the recipes of Basque dishes there is an extremely moderate use of greens and fragrant seasonings. However, this does not mean at all that local food turns out to be tasteless. In fact, Basque residents pay great attention to their own taste properties of products, monitoring their high quality and freshness.

Culinary art is of great importance to the Basques, and many local chefs are known around the world. In recent years, along with traditional popularity, the so-called "new Basque cuisine" began to enjoy, which developed similar to the "new French cuisine. "

In the Basque Country there are even special culinary communities (Sociedades Gastronomicas), in the ranks of which exclusively men are traditionally accepted. Such organizations have their own premises, where community members conduct joint preparations and celebrations. There are such communities in the Basque Country everywhere, but most of them in the province of Gipuzkoa. In Biscay, they are called chokos (txokos).

Some food and raw materials produced and grown in the Basque Country are distributed mainly in this region. So, for example, when preparing Basque dishes, black beans are used from Tolosa (Alubias de Tolosa), chorizo sausage from Orozco (Chorizo de Orozko), ovine cheese Idiasabal, green pepper from Guernica (Pimientos de Gernika), sea snails (Caracolillos), white dry wine from Getaria (Txakolizi), and also liquor from Herbal.

Traditional recipes for Basque cuisine abound in seafood. A dish called Angulas is prepared here, which consists of a glass eel fried with garlic and chilli. Locals and visitors to the region will not give up cod in their own juice (Bacalao al Pil-Pil) or biscay cod in paprika-infused sauce (Bacalao a la Vizcaina). Cuttlefish in "ink" sauce (Chipirones en su Tinta) is quite interesting in taste.

The sweet dishes of Basque cuisine are represented by a dessert of goat's milk (Cuajada), a sweet dessert based on dough, pudding, cream and caramel (Goxua). The Pastel Vasco cream pastry cake, which is common in the French part of the region, deserves special attention.