FAMOUS GASTRONOMY
Biscay | Guipuzcoa | Alava | Navarre | French Basque Country
The cuisine of this multifaceted area takes on many different forms, from succulent vegetable stews to those of lamb and beef.
The rich and varied gastronomy of Navarre is based on an ancient culinary tradition that has succeeded in adapting itself to modern times with art and imagination in the grouping of its ingredients. Famous among its cold meats are chistorras and chorizo de Pamplona (spicy sausages), and relleno de morcilla (black pudding). Famous from the Navarre vegetable gardens are verduras en menestra (mixed vegetables), espárragos (white asparagus), alcachofas (artichoke hearts), borraja (borage), and pimientos (tiny green peppers), all essential dishes in the country's cuisine. As for meats, the traditional dishes par excellence are the calderete (potatoes, vegetables, and lamb or rabbit), costillicas de cordero (baby lamb chops), codorniz con pochas (quail with beans), patorrillo (baby duck), fricagea (lamb offal), and carne de toro de lidia (bull's meat), a typical dish at the San Fermin fiestas. To accompany each menu there is an ample wine list, among which are noteworthy rosés, reds, and the famous pacharan liquor.