As I was posting about my recent trip to Hendaye and Fuenterrabia, I found these pictures that I took of some pintxos, or Basque tapas, that Alex and I had while waiting out the rain. We lucked out by stumbling into one of the most famous pintxos places in all of Fuenterrabia.
Tapas are one of my favorite ways to eat: choosing a bunch of little bites is great for me, someone who can’t make decisions at all. I love to be able to see what my food will look like before choosing what I want, and I love going back for more of the things that look tasty on other people’s plates.
We weren’t there for a meal, so we each got only one racion: mine, pictured above, was pan-seared foie gras on baguette with something called cabello de angel, or angel hair. It tasted quite a bit like marmalade, and I assumed that was what it was until I did some research and found out that it is actually caramelized members of the plant family that is made up of melons and gourds.
I’m easily tempted by raciones like this one, which combine foie gras (one of the most delightful substances on the planet) with something sweet like honey or this jam-like concoction. My selection did not disappoint, and a little bite of something this rich is really all you need.
Alex, as usual, went for something with considerably more “stuff.” His selection consisted of cheese, ham, anchovy and marinated vegetables atop bread. I can’t say very much about this, as I didn’t taste it, but he seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, and I thought it was very pretty, if nothing else.
The culture of tapas is one that I wish I understood better: every time I go into a tapas bar, I feel like an obvious tourist, and not only for the sorry state of my high school Spanish. The locals are easily detectable, not finding the ordering situation even slightly awkward. Whereas I never know whether to just pick up a plate or ask a bartender to be served, they know just what to do and which raciones to take.
Some day, I hope to be as well-versed as they are in the methods of tapa ordering and eating. Until then, I plan on practicing as much as possible.
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Those look fabulous. Especially the anchovy, cheese, and prosciutto tapas. Yum.