The young French school children than scream incessantly during their recess outside my window seem to have been called back to class….so I have a few minutes in which to think and capture here a piece of my latest excursion to the great country immediately south of me, ESPANA!
My Mom has always wanted to go to Spain. And since her daughter (me!) speaks the language and has lived in the country, she courted me to be her personal guide for a 11 day trip. I knew the pay would be bad, but the company good…and really how could I say no to going back to some of my favorite cities in the world! We spent the first 8 nights in the south: Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla and Granada…all places I have been to multiple times over the past 17 years…ever since I first visited Europe and studied abroad in Sevilla as a Junior in college (crap…I think I just gave away my age!). Mom would spend the days doing the quinessential tourist activities. I would reconnect with old and new friends. The weather was perfect, the tapas delicious and the wine refreshing. And despite unemployment being over 30% in Andulsia, southern Spain still exuded the same wonderful, energetic spirit that I fell in love with many years ago.
Beautiful flamenco dresses in a shop window in Sevilla.
I do love the south of Spain, but for me the highlight on this trip was our last 3 nights in the northern seaside town in Spain’s Basque country, San Sebastian (or Donostia in the Basque language). This was my first time to “Pais Vasco” and San Sebastian! Which perhaps is strange, because Donostia-San Sebastian is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Spain. It is home to beautiful golden beaches, hosts an international film festival every year that brings big international stars to its streets and boasts incredible cuisine that is renowned acrossed the globe (It is the home of FOUR 3 star Michelin restaurants! The most in any city in the world!).
On top of the world!
Really I am just on top of Mount Urgull which had spectacular views of the city, the bay and the beautiful beaches.
A graffiti reminder that I was in the home of infamous, armed seperatist organization, ETA, whose goal is to gain independence for the Basque country. In Sevilla, while walking some of the side steets, I saw a plaque memorializing a diplomat and his wife who were assassinated in that alley by ETA members just in 2006. However, as a note, ETA did declare this year a “permanent, general and verifiable” ceasefire and plans to end their campaign. Time will tell…
San Sebastian’s Catherdral of the Good Shepherd
PINXTOS!
The old part of San Sebastians was full of bars that served these tasty, pinxtos (pronounced pinchos).
Pinxtos are basically the same as southern Spain’s tapas…small snacks to eat with your wine or beer. BUT the glorious part of the pinxto experience is that you didn’t just select them off a menu and tell your server what you want…rather pinxtos magnifecently decorate the tops of bars across town…and you, the hungary patron, just grab all that look delicious to you and consume on the spot!!! It was both a feast for the eyes and tastebuds.
A close-up of one of the delightful options at the first pinxto bar my Mom and I ever went to our first night in San Sebastian. Iberico ham, Foie Gras and Mango loving piled on a piece of baguette. Savory and sweet is always a good combination to me…and I did like this ensemble :). San Sebastian is only 20 minutes from France…so the cuisine also had a lot of French influence.
We selected these brochettes raw from the counter…and viola! 8 minutes later they were presented to us perfectly prepared…although Mom was disappointed that they shrunk so much in the cooking process. 🙂
To maximize our Pinxto consuming experience Mom and I took a pinxto tour our last night in San Sebastian and in Spain. We joined a group of 9 others to be lead through the old part of town by an English man named, Jon. He took us to 6 different pinxtos bars. In each bar he selected different pinxtos and paired them with local wines. Here are some of the highlights of this evening:
BAR ONE! Jon took us to a place that had been around for 50 years, Paco Bueno…and Paco, his wife and nephew were in the kitchen cooking for us.
The barkeep is aerating our light white, local wine by pouring it from about 2 feet above the glass…normal in this northern city. Jon, our guide, is the profile I captured in the picture. He used to be a finance guy in London…but 4 years ago came to San Sebastian and decided to start his food and wine education and tour company. Very inspiring.
Paco’s Pinxto for us…a yummy breaded shrimp on a stick.
Apparently the origin of the pinxto name is from the skewer or pick that “spikes” the pinxto usually to a piece of bread.
Thanks Paco for the picture!! Bisous!!
BAR TWO!! Jon took us to a bar that specialized in mejillones….or mussels. And instead of wine, he asked all if we were up to trying the local cider…uh, claro que si!
Fruit of the sea….and vine?
Hmmm, I just realized I don’t know how cider is made 🙂
However, I do know that this cider had only 6% alcohol….and a very interesting, light flavor.
Trying out my aerating expertise…and delightful facial expressions.
Once licked clean, mussel shells could be disposed of in a little railing that graced the bottom of the bar…so this is Mom throwing her food on the floor :)…perfectly acceptable in this non-3 star Michelin restaurant.
BAR THREE!! This is were Jon started loosing control of our group….because he started serving red wine. 🙂
So beautiful…here Jon had them serve us some little green peppers that were flash fried and sprinkled with Fleur de Sel (almost like little green french fries…and not spicy! I was worried until Jon talked me off that cliff) and delicious medium rare beef on a piece of bread…HOWEVER, I forgot to take a picture of both of them (I blame the red wine…but I think really it was that I was talking a bit too much to 2 Canadians about wine…so I guess all both fronts, I blame the wine! 🙂 )
These squiggly things are imitation Angulas – or baby eels. The real stuff is extremely expensive (around 1000 Euro a kilo), so imitation “gulas”, which are made from pollock, are usually used as substitute. This is clearly the substitute…but sure look like baby eel still!!! Mom and I were going to go back and try one…never happened, but we were still thinking big after only bar 3 :)!
BAR FOUR!!! The bars started becoming more gourmet and the chefs were using more specialized ingredients as we moved further on the tour. In this little lovely bar, which I don’t remember a thing about other than the delightful pasta and chevre dish, I went back and complemented the chef. Thankfully he indulged my gratitude and also gave me a little lesson on the ingredients I need to use at home to recreate his simple, but delicious dish!
Jon probably ordering us all more red wine!!!
Here she is….the pasta chevre dish topped with a dollop of pesto!
Sooooooo good!
Mom talking to Brad, one of the wine loving Canadians I was talking to in Bar 3.
In the foreground foie gras…and local red wine.
What did I tell ya…all of it, art!
More of its funkiness…
Wanted to get in the yummy food and server 🙂
Gigi, one of our fellow tour participants, is truly inhaling her food in this picture.
Gigi was from Hong Kong, traveling alone and incedibly funny.
Two interesting facts about Gigi: 1) her name means “penis” in Chinese and 2) her last name is “Fok” (her mother loves the move, Meet the Fockers)
Mom and I enjoying our little smoking bbq with yet another glass of red wine.
BAR SIX…and final bar! Jon took us here for their fabulous cheesecake. Here we had the choice of red wine or a sweet wine. I took red and Mom took sweet…
The facade of our last stop on our perfect and thorough pinxto tour.
One of the fun bar keeps…who also made a great gin and tonic (uh, yeah, we didn’t drink red wine all night….)
End of the night…notice how big all the smiles are.
Gigi, Ellie (local from San Sebastian trying to get a job with Jon), Me, Mom and Mark (from San Diego)
Jon is no where to be found anymore…he left our group after our 2 1/2 hour tour (probably running) and told us that we could continue enjoying ourselves at “La Vina.” We took him up on that offer…and the guys switched to tequila shots.
Mom ended the night shortly after this picture was taken….I ended mine a few hours later drinking Moet & Chandon. Viva Espana! Viva San Sebastian! Viva el Pinxto…and Jon!!
Adios Spain!!
Now headed to Italy!
Plan YOUR Adventure: San Sebastian Food Great Pinxto Tours and other culinary experiences in San Sebation website: www.sansebastianfood.com