Sagardoaren lurraldea

SAGARDOTEGI: THE BASQUE CIDER HOUSE

Descripción

The Basque cider house is one of the regions best-kept secrets. Cider poured from giant barrels & steaks as big as your head are just the start of an unforgettable experience.

ocio astigarraga donostia gastronomía sidra sidrería txotx

Ficha

  • Fuente: euskogide
  • Fecha: 2015-01-15
  • Clasificación: 2.1. Sidra
  • Tipo documento: Prensa
  • Fondo: Sagardoetxea fondoa
    • »
  • Código: NA-006578

Texto completo

The production of cider has a long history in the Basque Country, going all the way back to the
11th century. The sagardotegi was originally where locals would go to buy cider and they would
typically take a meal with them so they didn’t drink on an empty stomach. This eventually developed
into the tradition of the sagardotegi functioning as a restaurant and a place for social gatherings.
Today, sagardotegis are typically old farmhouses located mainly in Gipuzkoa, around San Sebastian
(/places-basque-country/spain/san-sebastian-tourism/), however, they can be found all throughout
the Basque Country. For 25-30 € you receive a set menu that is pretty much always the same. It
consists of:
First Plate: Tortilla de Bacalao (cod fish omelet)
Second Plate: Bacalao al pil pil (cod fish in a garlicky sauce)
Third Plate: Txuleton (enormous aged ox steak)
Dessert: Walnuts + local cheese with membrillo (quince jelly)
And of course there is cider and you can drink as much as you like, and even become a connoisseur
in the process since there are normally several different types of cider to sample. The cider comes
from giant wooden barrels (kupelas), which are opened periodically when someone yells “Txotx!” The
cider shoots out of the tap and must be caught several meters away and as close to the ground as
possible. This is done for aeration purposes and its incredible fun. The entire sagardotegi experience
is one that shouldn’t be missed and could easily be the highlight of any trip to the Basque Country.
Apples for the cider production are harvested from September to November and then left to ferment.
The official start of the cider season kicks off on January 19th and runs until April or May. The cider
houses are generally only open during the cider season. However, there are a few that stay open all
year round. One such is Petritegi and its located just 15 minutes outside of San Sebastian.