festival complete with picnic in a meadow, zone, they can give it a try for a just a few cynthia: What are the characteristics of music and dancing. The day capped off with dollars. Eating the small portions at a leisurely Basque wines with regard to food pair- a dinner gathering of the local txoko or gastro- pace is such a healthy way to eat, too. You ing? nomic society. Everything we ate—besides the get full and satisfied without the large portions

Serrano ham—was made, grown or foraged you get in many restaurants. carolin: The wines made closer to the coast by someone at the table. Later someone pulled are mostly white wines, often dry and crisp, out a guitar and everyone sang traditional cynthia: Do people tend to come to txori for with flavor elements that can vary from Basque folk songs. One was Txoria Txori, a full meal, or just a snack before moving on green apple to mineral. These are very literally “essence of bird,” which has a really elsewhere? food-friendly wines. The red wine grapes enchanting melody. Later when I was research- are grown farther inland, and tend to create ing Basque words for the restaurant name, I carolin: Most tend to make a meal out of a earthy, complex wines that also pair well came across reference to that beautiful song trip to Txori, though some people come in with the distinctive, sometimes bold, flavors and was reminded of that perfect day. late afternoon for a lighter snack of manchego of Basque foods. Take a look, for instance,

cheese or tortilla española. Pintxos really are at the wines from Rioja Alavesa: wines

cynthia: the menu refers to the pintxos at just a few bites each, so I recommend people here are blends of mostly Tempranillo and txori as being in the san sebastian style. order those individually rather than try to share Graciano. Travel farther south and you’re What distinguishes the small-plate style of among a few people. Four or five pintxos per in the core of the Rioja region. This area san sebastian? person can make a meal, which might include is known for its wonderful red wines with mussels escabeche, braised beef cheek with a backbone that complement the regional

carolin: Of course tapas are classic through- potato or a tartlet of mushrooms with serrano dishes so well. out Spain, with different regions having spe- ham. Or less if the table will be sharing racio- cialties and individual traditions. What I think nes as well, perhaps veal-pork meatballs or cynthia: clearly you’re sharing a good sets the pintxos in San Sebastian apart is that clams with white beans. I always recommend deal of Basque culture by way of this res- the city, overall, operates at a very high level that customers order just one round of items to taurant. What are other ways you engage with regard to food. Chefs in the area have start. Since dishes come out pretty quickly, it customers toward that end? been elevating the cuisine to an art form for a doesn’t take long to add more. And they’ll see number of years, with traditional dishes being the dishes being delivered to tables nearby and carolin: Well, as I mentioned earlier, part looked at in a new way. And it’s not just in the maybe be inspired to try something they might of that day that helped inspired the name many Michelin-starred restaurants. The food not usually order. for Txori included a txoko dinner with local can still be simple, as it is in most pintxos bars, food lovers gathering to cook a fabulous but done with new finesse, new interpreta- cynthia: How did you approach selecting meal together. We don’t have the space tions. On our menu, dishes like squid-stuffed wines for the list at txori? to invite guests to cook with us, but we do squid cooked in its own ink and octopus salad hold a txoko dinner on the first Monday of topped with a fried egg reflect that style. carolin: We focus on wines from the Basque each month. These are completely differ-region by separating the vascos (Basque) ent meals from what we usually serve at

cynthia: Why do you think that pintxos selections from those of the other regions (otras Txori. We make big platters of bacalao and tapas have, in general, become such a regiones) of Spain, including La Mancha, Rías a la vizcaína (salt cod with chiles and popular style of eating? Baixas and Toro. Though there are a handful tomatoes) or chicken braised with sweet of wines above $60 per bottle, most are in peppers, and pass them around for every-

carolin: The great thing about pintxos and the $20 to 40 range. And I want to always one to share. It reflects the essence of tapas is that for both the chef and the diner, have a $4 glass selection on the list; right Basque cuisine in a convivial, family-style it doesn’t require a huge investment to try now that’s a Pacheco Crianza of Bodegas setting. We don’t include wine, leaving something new. A chef can experiment with Viña Elena (variety Monastrell), in Jumilla. We guests to choose which and how much and refine a dish with an expensive or unusual currently have 14 glass options that top out at wine they want to have with the meal. But ingredient in very small portions—and a little $7, including the Basque white wine Xarmant I’m happy to make recommendations, such of those rare ingredients will go farther in a Txakoli and a red Guelbenzu Vierlas from as the Basque white Ameztoi Txakoli to pintxo than in a traditional main course. For Navarra. We just tasted and tasted and tast- accompany the bacalao, or the Ermita de the diners, if something like blood sausage ed wines until we found the mix that seemed San Felices red from Rioja to go with the or squid ink sounds a bit outside their comfort best for this menu and for this setting. braised chicken.

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