A pincho (; literally "thorn" or "spike"), pintxo () or pinchu () is a small snack, typically eaten in bars, traditional in northern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and especially popular in the Basque country,

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

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Cantabria Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...

, and

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. They are usually eaten in bars or taverns as a small snack while hanging out with friends or relatives; thus, they have a strong socializing component, and in the Basque country and Navarre, they are usually regarded as a cornerstone of local culture and society. They are related to

tapas A tapa () is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as ''chopitos'', which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas). In so ...

, the main difference being that pinchos are usually 'spiked' with a skewer or toothpick, often to a piece of bread. They are served in individual portions and always ordered and paid for independently from the drinks. It is not impossible, however, to have the same " pincho " item in one place and "tapa" in another. They are called ''pinchos'' because many of them have a ''pincho'' (Spanish for ''spike''), typically a

toothpick A toothpick is a small thin stick of wood, plastic, bamboo, metal, bone or other substance with at least one and sometimes two pointed ends to insert between teeth to remove detritus, usually after a meal. Toothpicks are also used for festiv ...

—or a

skewer A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roasting ...

for the larger varieties— through them. They should not be confused with

brochette A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roasting ...

s, which in Latin America and some parts of Spain are called ''pinchos'' too; in brochettes, the skewer or toothpick is needed to cook the food or keep it together.

Basque Pintxo

A typical snack of the Basque Country and

, "pinchos" consist of small slices of

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

upon which an ingredient or mixture of ingredients is placed and fastened with a toothpick, which gives the food its name "pincho," meaning "spike." Pinchos are usually eaten as an

appetizer An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the m ...

, accompanied by a small glass of young white

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...

(called ''txikito'', ) or

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

(''zurito'', quarter of a pint). Pinchos are very common in the

tavern A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern t ...

s of the Basque Country and in other nearby areas, such as

, northern

Burgos Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos. Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence o ...

, and

, where a variety of pinchos is usually served on a tray at the bar. Bar de pinchos Donosti 01

In this type of pinchos, the toothpick is used to keep ingredients from falling off the bread and track the number of items the customer has eaten. Sometimes, differently priced pinchos have toothpicks of different shapes or sizes. Almost any ingredient can be put on the bread, but those most commonly found in the Basque Country include fish such as

hake The term hake refers to fish in the: * Family Merlucciidae of northern and southern oceans * Family Phycidae (sometimes considered the subfamily Phycinae in the family Gadidae) of the northern oceans Hake Hake is in the same taxonomic order ( ...

, cod,

anchovy An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some in South America are restricted to fresh water. More than 140 species are placed in 1 ...

; tortilla de patatas; stuffed

peppers Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...

; and

croquette A croquette is a deep-fried roll consisting of a thick binder combined with a filling, which is breaded and deep-fried; it is served as a side dish, a snack, or fast food worldwide. The binder is typically a thick béchamel or brown sau ...

s. Pinchos can be very sophisticated, sometimes consisting of very elaborate (and sometimes expensive) fish, seafood, or meats. Pinchos are used as an excuse for socializing. Typically, a group of friends will go from one tavern to another, drinking small glasses of wine or beer and eating pinchos.

Pinchos morunos

Pinchos can also refer to "pinchos morunos," which consists of pieces of meat marinated in a mix of paprika and oil called "adobo" and roasted on a skewer.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Pinchos
Todopintxos. Recipes and pictures of pinchos and tapas.

Página oficial del Campeonato de Pintxos de Euskadi que se celebra en Fuenterrabía
Appetizers Basque cuisine Spanish cuisine

Basque Pintxo

Pinchos morunos

See also

References

External links