One of my biggest highlights at my most recent trip to Bilbao, Spain (for the 2018 World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony) was dining at a txoko— a Basque type of closed gastronomical society which began in 1870, previously only for men– as a place to eat, drink and gather. Why? Apparently, it’s because Basque culture is matriarchal in nature and women controlled everything, including finance. Txokos were sacred spaces for men where they could cook on their own terms, and their wives were okay with it because… [other] women weren’t allowed in anyway!
Today, some txokos allow women to come and dine (but cooking is apparently still relegated to men) but becoming a member is still extremely difficult. According to BBC, if a member dies, the membership is automatically offered to the man’s oldest son. Otherwise, members can nominate newcomers from the waiting list, but if even one member objects for whatever reason, they cannot become members.
Fortunately, a group of us international journalists were so lucky to have been invited by the Government of Biscay (Bizkaia) who arranged a dinner at the Pena Juvenil Athletic txoko for us. Through the large wood-carved door, was a staircase– it was like going down into a secret supper club– where “homemade” Basque food is prepared at its finest!
We were lucky to have special guest chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants Mina, Zortziko and Zarate, as well as Jauregibarria Jatetxea cook alongside the oldest member of the txoko, Pedro Prieto, hosted by president Jose Nunez. We had traditional Basque dishes like rabo (oxtail), codfish– both in pilpil and bizkaina sauce), creamy rice and Idiazabal cheese ice cream, among endless pours of txakolis and Rioja reds.
It was an honor for me to eat, drink and gather with Richard Vines, Bloomberg’s chief food critic, who happens to be one of the nicest people in the world. It was an evening of great fun, merriment and conversations with the entire table. Seriously, if you can score an invite to a txoko on your next trip to the Basque Country (I heard some tour groups offer that), do it!!! It’s one of their greatest food cultures. xx
