And in the week that’s in it with Cop27 around the corner we’re reminded that sustainability and gastronomy don’t have to be strangers, in fact they complement each other just fine, in European culinary hotspot San Sebastian, or Sustain Sebastian if you will.
Bask in the Basque country‘s warmth of hospitality.
Where it is always centred around the dinner table and the farm to finger experience.
And their love of small dishes allows you to savour a range of foods.
And the joined sensual experience of sharing your food with others.
It is of course pintxos that you’ll be dipping your fingers in.
On a stick
For those who like to know the derivation of these things some history here.
Pintxos were originally a slice of baguette piled high with food and held in place by a cocktail stick or pintxo.
These days rustic has become miniature haute cuisine.
With tiny flavour bombs from the traditional Gilda with an olive, guindilla pepper and anchovy.
To leek and prawns in brick pastry, for example, passing through myriad tastes (we’re told).
Get in with the locals by showing you know the difference between pintxos and tapas…
The pintxos are generally smaller.
Zurito or a txikito
And order a zurito (a small beer), or a txikito (a small glass of wine) with your pintxo… or maybe both.
For those who’ve whiled away a day from Barcelona to Santiago, from Majorca to Tenerife then you’ll know how Spanish bars work.
And the Basques are a variation on a theme.
So in San Sebastian, the cold pintxos are available on the bar when you arrive.
And you can help yourself to them.
Hot pintxos should be ordered at the bar.
On a crawl
And just like us they like a crawl too.
So it is normal to have one round (pintxo & drink) in each bar before moving on to another one.
And don’t worry about burrowing around in your pocket for your euro.
You generally pay when you are about to leave.
Or you can get on one of the tours for €65pp which includes four selected pintxos and four different wines from different national DO.
So get out there and enjoy the farm to finger experience in Sustain Sebastian.