Spain, throughout its history, has been known as the capital of the pig. As far back as the 15th century, the Catholics decided to eat pig with a passion once they booted out the Islamic and Jewish people from the land. Since that time pork products abound here in every conceivable way imaginable. From the famous Iberian ham to the spicy chorizo sausage; Spain’s ownership of the pig has been its trademark in the culinary world.
In September, I ventured to the North of Spain to a town called San Sebastian. Located in what is known as the Basque Country , San Sebastian is regarded as one of the greatest culinary places in all of Europe and sports some of the world’s top chefs and restaurants.
I had been warned before I left that there wouldn’t be much for a vegetarian or vegan blogger to experience that didn’t have some sort of ham product attached, but to the nay-sayers surprise there were a number of veggie and vegan restaurants to be found. From breakfast, lunch and dinner to even the famed Pinxtos (the Basque name for what the Spanish call Tapas) there was a myriad of delectable treats to be devoured.
Breakfast in Spain typically consists of some baked bread product (croissant, baguette, or sweet pastry), some fruit or fruit spread and a cup of café (coffee). Simplicity is the key here, since they enjoy what would be considered dinner in the States at around 2pm in the afternoon. My husband and I rented a furnish apartment where we stocked the fridge with various comfort foods for breakfast.
The grocery store was simple with all the basics, but attached to the store were small locally owned market stalls where you could find fresh seafood, meats, cheeses, baked goods and fresh produce. Bring your own bags and get what you need for that day, that’s how it’s done in Spain.
Our first lunch was at a quaint bistro called Cachon. We ordered Tortilla Pintxos , basically an extra thick egg omelet wedge layered with caramelized onions and slices of potato, served with some baguette slices ($2 USD) and some Vino Tinto (Red Wine $2 USD). we also ordered a Basque staple of Salted Cod Pintxos, which was served with traditional Spanish Peppers and a baguette. ($2 USD).
Dinner time in Spain is usually spent wandering the cobble stone streets of Parte Vieja (the Old City) bouncing from one café to another. This is where the locals dine and enjoy various Pintxos with a glass of Txokoli (a Basque sparkling white wine known only to this region) or a glass of Rioja.
So many delicious choices to be made…
from the many different chefs was so much fun.
And oh yeah….don’t forget something to wash it down with…
We spent about 3 hours exploring the small cobblestone streets in Parte Vieja (the old part of town), it was not only fun and exciting, but historically educational. We must have gone back about 5 times during our 8 day stay.
Some of the cafés had been there since the 16th century with original interiors and small doorways. Each café offered their specialty, from the traditional to the extreme and there was always at least one veggie Pintxo offered, whether it be olives and peppers on a wooden stick with sea salt and olive oil or the house tortilla.
Caravanserai Café was a cute bistro style restaurant where we enjoyed lunch one chilly afternoon.
For an appetizer we started off with Veggie Pate with sesame crackers ($7.50 USD). The homemade savory spread was delicious and nutty. We then tried a Seitan Carrot Burger ($7.75 USD). This was a very moist burger that held together well and was accompanied by the typical lettuce and tomato on a bun along with French Fries. Their menu offered Breaded Soya Steaks and Soya Chicken Nuggets with Scrambled Eggs as well as Traditional Gazpacho. We ate the meal with a glass of Vino Tinto (red wine) as is typical with the mid-day meal.
A great vegan find was a restaurant in the artist neighborhood of Egia called Garraxi Taberna. We tried five different things that were all delicious and could easily have been served in a fine dining establishment.
First, we tried an appetizer of Stuffed Mushroom Caps that came with toasted bread and a Carrot Elixir. Next up was a Veggie Consommé with lovely chunks of fresh veggies in a broth that was obviously made over several hours. This soup was very satisfying yet light.
We ordered two entrées, one being a fabulous creation of whole grain balls that were breaded and deep fried then placed on a bed of mashed butternut squash and a dish of spinach and carrot pasta with pesto.
For dessert, we tried a decadent and dense Vegan Chocolate Cake with an Agave Caramel Sauce. Included in this prix fix meal was a carafe of Vino Tinto. The grand total for this super delicious feast was $32 USD. Although the staff only spoke their native Basque language of Euskara, they listed everything in Spanish and were very accommodating to us English speaking people.
Since we had the apartment with the cute Euro kitchen I wanted to try my hand at cooking with some traditional ingredients that were offered at the market. Our guitarist, Nick Williams and his father Sandy happened to be visiting San Sebastian during the same time as us, so we invited them over for dinner one night.
The cheese section of the market offered an ingenious “variety” pack of seven samples of different Spanish cheese. I thought they would make a nice appetizer. I also bought some olives and peppers that I turned into my own Pintxos creation.
I made Mixed Mushroom and Spinach Sauté with Basque Style lentils and Saffron Rice.
For the entrée, I started off by roasting a few Green Peppers in the oven.
Then I sautéed a bit of Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil. Then I added Smoked Spanish Paprika, a dash of salt and pepper.
I then added the assorted sliced Mushrooms and the Roasted Peppers.
Next I added some Olives and Broth and simmered and just before serving I added the Spinach.
For the Lentil dish I bought a jar of precooked Lentils and added some fresh Garlic.
The rice was cooked per usual with the addition of Spanish Saffron, Veggie Broth and salt and pepper.
Our guest enjoyed all the Vegetables, Beans and Grains since they were gorging on a steady diet of pork fat, shellfish and organ meats (typical of the Carnivore diet of the area). They brought some nice bottles of wine and we had a wonderful evening indoors at our home away from home.
On one of our city explorations we came across a really decent farmers market.
Mushrooms were in season and they were everywhere.
At one café we had a “proper” dinner, with linens and various courses. For an appetizer, we ordered white asparagus that were the largest I had ever seen…and muy delicioso.
For the main course we tried the famous Basque bean stew…although it came with the sausage pieces it was the most delicious beans dish I have ever had.
Spain is a magical place filled with passionate people, exciting food and wonderful vistas, even for those that are Vegetarian or Vegan. Say “Hola” to this hidden gem of Europe next time you plan to go overseas. You’ll be saying “Tequiero Muy Mucho San Sebastian!”
