Note:
We had a computer crash while travelling - so we will get ourselves caught up! Currently, we finished 2 years of travelling and have come back to San Diego, California to spend the holidays with family and friends and make plans for 2016!
RICH:
Happy-Hour-Heaven! Never in my life have I witnessed such a display of food. The variety and quality of small appetizers called Pintxos (pronouonced pinchos) overwhelm you. Door after door of welcoming culinary buffets. 25-30 platters of fish, pimentos, jamon, chorizo, bruchettas, vegetables, prepared in many different ways, with more arriving from the kitchen. Each kitchen daring the other restaurants to match their gastronomic efforts. Swine and Dine shangri la. Ahhhh.
In search of the next Pinxto Bar - so many to choose from, so little time!
WANDA:
Of course Richard couldn't wait to share the "Swine and Dine" experiences San Sebastian is known for. In fact, the city holds the 2nd highest Michelin Stars per capita in the world. On our budget, we went to the popular Pinxto Bars and ate to our tummies content...
- Rich, "I'll take one of each" - Bartender, "Help yourself to as much as you want. When you are done, we count the toothpicks and you are charged 2 Euros per toothpick."
It was an expensive night....
Before San Sebastian though, I don't want to forget the few days we spent in Bilbao - the largest city in the Basque Country (and at one time known for the commerce of iron ore and renowned for their ironwork of swords in the 16th century called "Bilboes")
We walked the city along the estuary and crossed back and forth over the 17 bridges Bilbao is known for....
The colorful La Salve Bridge
We walked through the streets of the Old Town....
...and experienced the gothic St. James Cathedral...
..... to the modern Guggenheim museum...
The amazing Guggenheim Museum -a must see if you make it to Bilbao!
Now back to San Sebastian....
Not only is San Sebastian known for good eating it is known as the place to vacation for the people of Spain. Beautiful playas or beaches,
Thomas and Amaya are a young Basque couple that invite strangers into their home to share a Basque meal....
...as long as you help of course! Checkout how we cut the potatoes. Insert a knife partway through the potato, then break off a piece of the potato in small chunks. The broken edge of the potato allows the starch to be released into the soup efficiently.
The menu was Snapper Basque Style and a Sofrito Soup with Chorizo. Basque cooking is rustic without the use of spices. The key ingredients are sweet paprika and Pimiento sauce.
Olive Oil, Onion, Chorizo Sausage, Potatoes, Sweet Paprika, Salt, and Water. These few ingredients make for a very tasty soup or stew.
Simple Simple Simple - Fish laid over sliced potatoes fried in olive oil - thrown in the oven for 20 minutes and...
.... the chopped garlic fried in olive oil tops the fish!
Wow! The smells coming from these 2 dishes make for a couple of happy people!!
The strangers - Jill, Barbara, Steph, Lauren, Rich, and myself became friends in the home of Thomas and Amaya over a wonderful Basque dinner and Spanish wine! TOPA!!
We loved San Sebastian, but we were excited to get down to Madrid and meet up with Renata......... So off we go!
