<p>Thanks to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-measure-the-restau_b_5475536">Ferran Adrià</a>, tapas, and a fascination with all things pork -- from chorizo to chicharrones -- Spanish cuisine has been a star in the food world in recent years. But a less familiar part of Spanish cuisine is Basque -- considerably unique and different from the broader Spanish cuisine that has been exported across the globe. Basque cuisine is worth getting to know, however, and with an influx of Basque-inspired restaurants in food-forward cities like New York, it appears that this culinary tradition is gaining the foothold it deserves.</p><p>Basque country lies in the North of Spain near the Bay of Biscay and in South Western France. With fertile ground for grains and vineyards in an area called Álava, and good land for livestock breeding in Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa, Basque country has a rich culinary heritage. It's no wonder then that today the region boasts <a href="http://www.euskoguide.com/food-drink-basque-country/michelin-star-restaurants.html">almost 40 Michelin-starred restaurants</a>.</p><p>I spoke to the executive chef and owner of the new Basque-inspired restaurant <a href="http://huertasnyc.com/t">Huertas</a> in New York City to learn more about the unique cuisine. Ten years ago, after working in some of New York's most prominent restaurants, chef Jonah Miller took off for Northern Spain to learn more. In April of this year, he opened his first restaurant, dedicated to the food he studied and fell in love with.</p><p><strong>I asked Jonah to describe some quintessential Basque dishes, and the overarching themes were salt cod and peppers.</strong></p><p><i>Salt Cod (in many forms), including:</i><br>- Kokotxas al Pil-Pil - Fish cheeks and throats in a "pil-pil" sauce, which refers to the sound made when shaking a cazuela to activate the natural gelatin in the fish cheeks.<br>- Tortilla de Bacalao - A salt cod omelet.<br>- Porrusalda - Potato, leek, salt cod soup.<br>Piperrada - Sauteed peppers (they use lots of peppers), onions, garlic and tomato, often served with a fried egg.<br>Stuffed Piquillo Peppers.<br>Marmitako - Tuna with potato and pepper stew.</p><p><strong>I also asked what some quintessential Basque beverages might be.</strong></p><blockquote><p>Sidra (cider), which is much dryer and funkier than ciders we are familiar with, and Txakoli, slightly effervescent white wine. Both are low in alcohol and highly acidic -- perfect to drink with pintxos.</p></blockquote><p><strong>So what are pintxos?</strong></p><blockquote><p>"Pintxos are small, composed bites that unlike tapas, aren't meant to be shared," explained Miller. Fans of tapas but not always down to share every bite, we like the sound of pintxos. Basque restaurants are best known for pintxos, and at his restaurant, Miller naturally serves a variety.&nbsp;</p></blockquote><p>Among his favorites are:<br><i>Gildas - White anchovy, olive, and pickled pepper skewer (named after the 1946 Rita Hayworth role).</i><br><i>Soft Boiled Quail Egg with Black Anchovy and Piquillo Peppers.</i><br><i>Fried Eggplant with Honey and Goat Cheese (local eggplant just started).</i><br><i>Wood-Fired Chorizo with Pickled Carrots.</i></p><p><img src="/uploads/55_3a3cb7ffba_cf157a700b.jpg" alt="Pintxos">)</p><p><strong>Other than Pintxos, what are more distinguishing features of Basque cuisine that you won't find anywhere else?</strong></p><blockquote><p>Lots of salt cod. As far back at the 15th century Basques were the best ship builders in Europe and dominated the whaling trade. When the whaling trade dried up, they began going further into the north Atlantic to fish for cod, which they salted aboard the ship as a means of preservation and then brought home. So even though cod is not present in the waters around Spain, it is the fish most commonly used in the Basque country (though almost always dried). They use more Foie Gras than other areas of Spain.</p></blockquote><p><strong>Miller serves a lot of egg dishes at Huertas, so I wondered too how important eggs were in Basque cuisine.</strong></p><blockquote><p>In the Basque country, they enjoy eggs at all times of day throughout Spain... Eggs are often the canvas for beautiful seafood, produce, or charcuterie, such as wild mushrooms, local asparagus, Jamon...</p></blockquote><p><strong>I asked what brought him to Northern Spain in the first place and what drew him to the cuisine.</strong></p><blockquote><p>Ten years ago when I was growing up working in kitchens, Spain was at the forefront of influencing modern cooking techniques. So that was largely what attracted me to studying abroad in Madrid (as well as honing my Spanish speaking, which is helpful in NYC kitchens), as well as not knowing much about Spanish cuisine and looking forward to learning something new. When in Spain, I came to appreciate not the modern cooking, but how great the old-school pintxo and tapas bars were, how fun they were to dine in, and felt that we didn't have much representation for that experience in New York. Being a native New Yorker, I think we should have the best of everything available here, and wanted to bring more great Spanish food to our city.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>The food and culture of the north of Spain translate better than the south of Spain to New York. For one thing, being closer to the rest of Europe, the north is more cosmopolitan and a bit more diverse. Also, the climate in the north (and accordingly produce) is not far off from that of New York.</p></blockquote><p><strong>Now I'm hungry. I asked what a typical way to start and end a Basque meal is.</strong></p><blockquote><p>To start, Txakolina and simply cooked seafood. [To finish,] there are some delicious Basque vermouths, which are a bit sweet and are had after dinner or often in the afternoon (some of which we offer, as well as making our own). They do make caramels and toffees, as well as Turron, an almond nougat. All traditional ends to a meal. There are also many cakes and tarts that are traditional.</p></blockquote><p><strong>So now that I'm ready to dive headfirst into Basque cuisine, what would be an approachable dish to try making at home?</strong></p><blockquote><p>Pintxos!! Go to Despana (a Spanish specialty foods store), pick up one or two cheeses, one or two cured meats, anchovies, a tin of seafood; the greenmarket for some seasonal produce and local honey; get some good bread, toothpicks, and start trying out different combinations. Try this cheese with honey and shaved carrots, those anchovies with tomato on toast.<br>&nbsp;</p></blockquote>

Basque dish

Here's why you have to try basque cuisine, according to a basque chef

<p>The world's first hamburger doesn't come from where you think it comes from. It wasn't invented in the United States, and it didn't originate in Germany. No, the world's first hamburger comes from China.</p><h3>Wait, what?</h3><p>If you're scratching your head right now, you're not alone. But Chinese hamburgers are very real and they definitely predate the <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-16-essential-regional_b_5682151">hamburgers we call our own</a> in the U.S. Known as rou jia mo, which translates to "meat burger" or "meat sandwich," they consist of chopped meat inside a pita-like bun, and they've been around since the Qin dynasty, from about 221 BC to 207 BC. Despite the differences between this Chinese street food and our American-style <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/perfect-way-to-eat-burger_n_4704188">burgers</a>, the rou jia mo "<a href="http://www.marcussamuelsson.com/news/street-food-rou-jia-mo-from-china">has been called the world's first hamburger</a>".</p><p>The rou jia mo originated in the Shaanxi Province of China, and is now eaten all over the country. It's typically prepared and eaten on the street. The dough for the bun, or mo, consists of a simple mixture of wheat flour, water and maybe yeast. Of course recipes may vary, but this basic equation makes for a chewy and subtle pillow for the delicious filling. While the mo is <a href="https://www.starchefs.com/cook/savory/technique/rou-jia-mo-chinese-hamburger">traditionally baked in a clay oven</a>, today it's often fried in a pan. They may look a little like <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bao-facts_n_5000963">Chinese steamed buns or baos</a>, but the dough for those is, of course, steamed, not baked or fried.</p><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="/uploads/fe006ed91f619568081af52979b77af3_52cac17456.jpeg" alt="fe006ed91f619568081af52979b77af3.jpeg"></figure><p>The meat filling might consist of chopped pork, beef, lamb, or chicken that has been stewed with a variety of spices, like ginger, cloves, coriander, and star anise. You might also find herbs like cilantro or greens like lettuce garnishing the sandwich.</p><p>If you've never had a Chinese hamburger, now is as great a time as any to try one. <a href="http://www.chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-hamburger-pork-belly-buns/">See here for a recipe for rou ji mo</a>, or watch the video below for step-by-step instructions for another great Chinese hamburger recipe.</p><p><br>&nbsp;</p>

fe006ed91f619568081af52979b77af3.jpeg

What are chinese hamburgers and why aren't you eating them?

<blockquote><p>There is no love sincerer than the love of food&nbsp;</p></blockquote><figure class="table" style="width:92.44%;"><table class="ck-table-resized"><colgroup><col style="width:9.97%;"><col style="width:12.41%;"><col style="width:13.82%;"><col style="width:63.8%;"></colgroup><thead><tr><th>&nbsp;</th><th>&nbsp;</th><th>&nbsp;</th><th>&nbsp;</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>あああああ</td><td>あああああ</td><td>あああああ</td><td>あああああ</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p><br><br>said George Bernard Shaw, and let us also add that there's arguably no better way to explore a culture than to eat voraciously while traveling. Yes, there are many five-star restaurants worth booking an entire trip for, but it's equally important to savor classic treats from across the world.</p><h3>Paella in Valencia, Spain</h3><figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="/uploads/5b9eeba22100003000c61e59_9098d9fb0a_176b2163c1_4b0b601b3c.jpeg" alt="Paella in Valencia"></figure><p>It’s this classic rice-based dish that first pops to mind when thinking of Spanish gastronomy. For the best there is, head to the source: Valencia. And don’t forget to scrape the bottom of the pan for heavenly bites of crunchy rice, or socarrat: the most flavorful arroz ever to land on your palate.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Nasi Lemak in Malaysia</h3><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="/uploads/5b9eeba22400005100542e38_cf4839f0ad_84f89b8451_742b9a1759.jpeg" alt="Nasi Lemak"></figure><p>Malaysia’s national dish, nasi lemak is a fragrant coconut-milk rice mixture, served with sambal sauce, fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts, and cucumber and cooked with screw pine (pandan) leaves. Available on almost every street corner, this much-loved classic hits all the notes.</p><h3>Pintxos in San Sebastián, Spain</h3><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:25%;" src="/uploads/5b9eeba32500003500370d46_7d51fc80cd_783924b96a_bdc848856f.jpeg" alt="Pintxos in San Sebastián"></p><p>Among the most highly ranked cities for Michelin-starred restaurants, San Sebastián boasts pintxos (the equivalent of small tapas) with über-creative takes on classics and beyond. Spain’s haute cuisine shines in this culinary paradise on the Basque coast.</p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Pastel de Nata in Lisbon</h3><figure class="image image-style-side image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="/uploads/5b9eeba53c00005b000abbf4_be4ab6d075_e909882796_3908e6e816.jpeg" alt="Pastel de Nata"></figure><p>The most iconic Portuguese pastry, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20111107-a-bit-of-history-in-every-sweet-bite">pastel de nata</a> is a sublime custard tart with hints of lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla. Buttery goodness in the middle, crunchy sweetness on top—what’s not to love?</p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Mole in Puebla, Mexico</h3><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:25%;" src="/uploads/5b9eeba62100003100c61e5b_d99dbc2910_75979ebd04_7afc2d1a5c.jpeg" alt="Mole in Puebla"></p><p>Mole, a specialty in the Mexican city of Puebla, is a labor of love. The spicy-sweet combination of this rich, chocolate-colored sauce takes arduous preparation and packs ingredients such as ancho chiles, spices like anise and coriander, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, stale bread, brown sugar, raisins, chocolate, and ripe plantains. The culminating dish is fit for the gods.</p><h3>Sichuan Hot Pot in China</h3><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="/uploads/5b9eeba82200005600da3822_01759bd55b_b46108e1aa_a310f83ff9.jpeg" alt="Sichuan Hot Pot"></p><p>This isn’t for the faint of heart. But if you’re an extreme spice lover, you’ll welcome the tears that come from the hot pot’s perfect nexus of pain and pleasure.</p><h3>Tagine in Morocco</h3><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="/uploads/5b9eeba93c000032000abbf6_12bb2e5346_9e0dac4fca_73bf6480cb.jpeg" alt="Tagine in Morocco"></p><p>This slow-cooked savory stew, typically made with sliced meat, poultry, or fish and lots of herbs and spices, is true Moroccan soul food. Cooked for hours in a clay cooking pot with a conical lid (known as a tagine), this irresistible dish is served with couscous or bread and can be found all over Morocco.</p>

Paella in Valencia

7 Places worth visiting for the food alone

<p>Across the globe, there are many cultural differences that define each country. As a traveler, it’s important to educate yourself on what you should and shouldn’t do when visiting a new locale.</p><p>And since food is such a big part of travel, it’s important to learn the dining etiquette of each nation. It differs greatly from place to place. For example, in many areas of China it’s considered a compliment to [burp after a meal](https://www.buzzfeed.com/adamellis/surprising-food-etiquette-rules-from-around-the-world) ― a sign that you’ve eaten well ― while stateside, that same act will get you some serious side-eye.</p><p>One easy way you can commit a faux pas while eating abroad is with your plate ― should you wipe it clean or leave some food? It all depends on where you are.</p><p>Here are four nations where what you do with your plate matters. Study up before you make another big trip.</p><h3>India</h3><p>In India, you <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/international-food-customs-8-weird-food-etiquette-trends-from-around-the-world-thrillist-nation">should finish everything</a> that is on your plate because it is <a href="http://www.culturewavesglobal.com/india-etiquette-">considered a respect for the served food</a>, and food in India is considered sacred. In South India, where food can be served on a banana leaf, it is polite to fold your leaf over from the top ― not from the bottom, because <a href="http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2007-10-17/etiquette-101-india">that indicates you were not satisfied</a>.</p><h3>Japan</h3><p>The same is true about finishing your plate in Japan. The Japanese consider it <a href="http://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/in-Japan-you-need-to-finish-your-plate">rude to leave food on your plate</a>, whether at home or at a restaurant. It’s related to one of the fundamental concepts in Japanese culture, <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/avoiding-waste-with-the-japanese-concept-of-'mottainai'/6722720">mottainai</a>, which is a feeling of regret at having wasted something.</p><h3>China</h3><p>In China, however, leaving behind an empty plate is a <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/international-food-customs-8-weird-food-etiquette-trends-from-around-the-world-thrillist-nation">sign to the host that you’re still hungry</a>. If you don’t want to eat more food, consider leaving a little behind to let the host know <a href="http://www.healthytravelblog.com/2012/08/10/travel-etiquette-part-3-eating-without-embarrassing-yourself/">you have had enough</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Ethiopia</h3><p>Ethiopians don’t even bother with plates. Individual plates <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/asia/travel-tips-and-articles/76513?lpaffil=lp-affiliates">are considered wasteful</a>. Folks share meals off of <a href="http://www.foodbycountry.com/Algeria-to-France/Ethiopia.html">one big communal plate</a> and generally eat with their hands using injera ― a type of flatbread ― to pick up the food. So, don’t even think about asking for your own plate.<br>&nbsp;</p>

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Here's why you have to try basque cuisine, according to a basque chef

What are chinese hamburgers and why aren't you eating them?

7 Places worth visiting for the food alone

If you don't finish your plate in these countries, you might offend someone

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