Perretxikos, a gastronomic gift for springtime
Seasonal products are one of the treasures that travellers look for in their chosen destinations. It is not always easy to know which foods are in season when you sit down in a restaurant. If you have arrived in the Basque Country and it is spring, don't hesitate: order perretxikos.
In April it perfumes the high meadows next to the wild woodland. It is a small mushroom that combines cream and white. Its life cycle extends well into May and, if conditions are favourable, into June. These are the perretxikos or St. George's mushrooms (Calocybe gambosa). One of the gastronomic feasts of these dates in the Basque Country.
Some people lose their heads over them
Very aromatic, with a pleasant texture, they are the great local culinary delicacy until after the first half of May. On their own, in scrambled eggs or omelettes or to give new meaning to stews, perretxikos are suggested on the menus of bistros, taverns and prestigious restaurants. When May matures in the calendar, perretxikos gain size in nature, open their hats and lose value for some gourmets. Others continue to lose their heads over them.
Ask for them. It is a mushroom that does not complicate digestion and provides elegant gustatory satisfaction. However, be prudent: check the price on your restaurant's menu or ask for the cost per portion. The value of perretxikos skyrockets at the peak of demand, reaching unsuspected figures.
And if, in addition, you spot dishes with spring boletus or morels, remember that they are also at their peak.
Very aromatic, with a
pleasant texture, they constitute
until the first half of May,
the great local culinary delicacy
You can't lose:
Donostia: Chosen as one of the most romantic cities in the world
The prestigious National Geographic magazine has selected San Sebastian as one of the 19 most romantic destinations in the world, highlighting its characteristic gastronomy and its charm and landscapes.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
We have the best quality tourism content and we deliver it to your inbox every fortnight.
You'll love it
Esférica Rioja Alavesa already has its musical line-up
Morcheeba, Morgan, Gatibu, Sylvie Kreusch, Oracle Sisters, Verde Prato, Messura, Germán Salto, Tito Ramirez and the djs Tangerine Sistas, Mute All and Father Alien complete the musical line-up of the festival that will be held from 18 to 20 August in Cuadrilla de Laguardia – Rioja Alavesa.
Esférica Rioja Alavesa exceeds 3,500 attendees
The second edition of Esférica Rioja Alavesa has been consolidated after being held this past weekend in different venues in Elciego, Laguardia and Labastida, where more than 3,500 people attended. Four days in which art, gastronomy, music and the territory were the central axis.
Kubo Kutxa presents an exhibition by Soledad Sevilla
‘My own landscape’, an exhibition that is conceived as an immersion into the world created by the artist, who understands painting as a vital posture, presents us with her landscape, ordered, light, pure and frank, based on a profound investigation into geometry, space and light. Until 28 May.
Marti Buckley, American gastronome in love with the Basque Country
“I came here as an Erasmus student and ended up falling in love with this land”. A native of Alabama and passionate about the Basque Country, Marti has written a book in English about Basque gastronomy and culture.