Savoring San Sebastian

Upon arrival, you might be distracted by the picturesque harbor or the crashing waves along the ocean side walk.....

or a couple of "hot" young men in traditional Basque Berets.....

The main attraction in this coastal town are the Pintxos bars - the Basque equivalent of Tapas bars. Pintxos are tiny bar snacks held together by a toothpick, or served on a slice of bread or a muscle shell. We were so clever to book a Pintxo tasting tour with our old friend Jon at San Sebastian Food. Eli was delightful and did such a good job of guiding us through the streets, the key was to drink slowly and keep moving. Starting with a traditional pour of Txacoli (white wine from the region), delicious grilled shrimp and grilled peppers.....

We moved on to muscles, fried squid, and potatoes...where you just through the shells and napkins on the floor!

Switching to a Rioja and a perfectly grilled tender piece of steak on a slice of toast...the guys were happy!

Wait this is sliced ham...too many delicioso dishes to recall!

Eli really wanted us to experience the traditional and the modern - try to guess what these are???

There is nothing wrong with my camera, Rick and Sandra are sitting in a cloud of smoke as we were served individual grills to smoke our fish That's not an egg you see, it is actually a dessert plate...when you crack the "yolk" a sweet lemon fill oozes over a meringue next to a coconut sponge cake tower. We were all instructed to bite the flower bud last which left us with a mouth numbing sensation similar to the feeling you get at the dentist!

Last, but not least, the cheese cakes...oh, the cheese cakes! Just the right amount of creaminess and toasted on the outside...the best I've ever had!

We loved it so much that the next night we found a place that made the most delightful Gin and Tonics....and we started all over again....yes, even the cheesecake!