World Specialty: Basque Cuisine

The cuisine of the city is fantastic between long outstanding recipes with modern effects, creating a vibrant picture of taste that reflects the surrounding coastal and mountainous environment.

Bilbao’s culinary culture is most evident through the tradition of Pintokusos (a small Basque dish), according to a typical version of tapas (spanish appetizers) in diverse and creative shapes.

Small dishes are skillfully prepared like jamon (salted ham), salted cod, and grilled chili, and often enjoyed with white wine tuxori (a typical Basque alcohol) in bar hopping rituals, which are the shape of many bars. The ancient city of Casco Viejo is a great place to experience this tradition.

A typical dish is Bacalao al-pir (like salted cod cooked in olive oil, a fatty emulsion sauce) that demonstrates the skill of Basques turning simple ingredients into delicate dishes.

What’s more, Txangurro (grilled or fried spider crab with onions, tomatoes and wine) and coco-Txas (cod or hake fish) are evidence of the region’s maturation in seafood processing. The modest but rich dish is Maltaco – a tuna stew named Basque Mirmita (cooking pot).

Once eating on a fisherman’s fishing boat, Malococcus has become a familiar symbol in the family’s kitchens. This hearty stew is usually made up of pieces, sweet pepper chili peppers and melted white tuna, served at Arspot at famous addresses such as Casarco and El Pelo Chico.

What really makes the difference in Bilbao cuisine is its close relationship with the local soil. The hills surrounding the sheep milk cheese at Idiazabal are traditional cheeses with the typical light smoke.

There is even a mark on the drink: from Txakoli wine (white wine) to create something breathable, up to Patxaran – soaked smell from black sims (slowberry) in Anisette – often used to finish it subtly.