Gilda Pintxos
Basque country pinxtos culture is all about socializing around food. With more Michelin stars per capita than any other place in the world, San Sebastian Spain is a foodie's paradise. Classic pinxtos are easy to make. Seeking out the ingredients is an adventure and the biggest difference between eating pintxos in America v. San Sebastian, Spain is that on this side of the Atlantic, it is just fine to eat them sitting down rather than standing up at the bar. The sex symbol of pinxtos, the Gilda, is named after Rita Hayworth's 1946 Hollywood eponymous bombshell character known for her spicy on screen performance. Made from four ingredients: manzanilla olives, pickled sweet and mildly spicy piparras, Spanish extra-virgin olive oil, and high quality anchovies, these nibbles have have a controversial love 'em or leave 'em salty reputation that in our minds make them all the more attractive. After making and tasting a dozen or so of these spiked nibbles, we are addicted and can attest that they go down extraordinarily well with a gin vermouth heavy martini.
