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For something completely out of left field book your SPAIN HOLIDAY RENTALS in the Basque country where you can experience a unique cuisine like no other. To give you an idea of what's on offer, their diets include meats and fish grilled over hot coals, lamb stews, Tolosa bean dishes, paprikas from Lekeitio, pintxos, sheep's cheese, sparkling wine and Basque cider. This type of cuisine is often referred to as Basquaise: it is prepared with tomatoes and sweet or hot red peppers This type of cuisine has developed over the centuries due to the proximity of the sea and the fertile Ebro valley. The Basque country is separated by mountainous areas with the sea. Its abundant marine life that dominates its dishes on one side and inland there is fresh meats including some cured, a lot of vegetables and beans with some freshwater fish and salt cod. You will also find a strong influence from France and Spain in their dishes. The interesting thing about Basque cuisine is that it doesn't stand still; it absorbs new ingredients and techniques from other cultures. For example, when the Jews were forced out of Spain and Portugal they set up a chocolate and confectionery industry in Bayonne that is still popular today. It is so popular that it has spread across the region. Two further new products that the Basque took to heart are the potato and the capsicum pepper which is used in sausages, hams and other dishes. They even hold festivals to celebrate the peppers more notably Ezpeleta and Puente la Reina. To get a better understanding of the Basque cuisine visit the Museum of Gastronomy in Llodio. The heart of Basque life centres around the kitchen: it's no wonder that food is so important to this amazing race of people. Spain may have some award winning wines, but the Basque country has some famous Cider houses known as Sagardotegiak. The best place to sample this golden elixir is in the hills around Donostia near Astigarraga. When you walk into a restaurant in this area it is not uncommon to see some rather large cider barrels. The cider is dispensed from a great height straight into the waiting glass. More than likely these restaurants have a rustic menu offering salt cod in different dishes, grilled T bone steaks to name but a few items on offer. Be sure and check to see if these restaurants are closed as they are only open a few months of the year. The tapas crawl we all know and love in Spain has reached new heights in the Basque country. Here the tapas crawl is referred to as the txikiteo with the epitome of this activity in Donostia. It is here that you will see literally hundreds of people wondering the streets from one tapas bar to the next. Each bar has its own specialty which could be using seafood, toasts, croquettes or tortillas. When you're booking your SPAIN HOLIDAY RENTALS check out the gastronomic societies. These are for the most part made up from the male population who cook and eat together. In the larger cities they have a well organized place that is usually large and formal but in the smaller villages it is usually in a small place owned by an individual or group of friends. All the cost for the food and drink is shared between the individuals. This tradition is very old with the first txoko taking place in Donostia in 1870. The main point of this activity was to allow the male to participate in the cooking and spend time with their friends. It was only possible for the men to take part in the cooking process at one of the txokos due to the matriarchal society. As in most activities, women are now let into some of these societies.
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