Gastronomy: Cuisine and traditional foods

One of the best ways of learning about the culture, society and history of a people is through their gastronomic traditions and culinary habits. The gastronomy of the "cuadrilla" of Zuia is closely linked to the many natural resources available in the area.

Most of the foodstuffs and condiments which make the area's cuisine so attractive originate from day-to-day life on local farms. Traditional methods of production passed down from generation to generation are among the most striking points of local produce.

Idiazabal cheese

Cheese is one of the most representative products of the Alava/ Araba side of Gorbeia. Milk taken from latxa breed sheep which have wintered in stables is taken in early spring and turned by traditional methods into Idiazabal cheese. This cheese has been awarded a certificate of origin, and cheeses bearing the mark of origin are guaranteed as being genuine, quality local produce. The Idiazabal mark is awarded to cheese makers in many areas of the Basque Country, but the "cuadrilla" of Zuia is one of the major producers.

Cheese is still made by traditional methods in many farmhouses, some of which market it very successfully at fairs and markets (e.g. cheese from Goiuri, Inoso and Sarria). Local shepherds sell to a cheese factory in Izarra whose products have acquired an excellent reputation all over Spain.

Lamb and mutton

Local lamb and mutton are also of excellent quality, and are widely available in major supermarkets.

Honey

There is a long tradition of bee-keeping in the foothills of Gorbeia, and local honey is now being promoted with great success, especially in the municipalities of Zigoitia and Zuia (Murguía has a museum devoted to this business).

Sweet bakery

Sweet bakery products made with local sheep's or cow's milk are also typical of the area. They include goxua (gateau basque) and mamia (also called gatxatua), a local form of junket. These products are made at and marketed directly from local farmhouses in Goiuri, Zigoitia and elsewhere.

Vegetables and fruits

Many of these same farmhouses also sell vegetables (mostly legumes, potatoes and a variety of greens) and fruit (hazelnuts, cherries, walnuts, apples, etc.) through local stores and through the district's many fairs and markets.

Txarriboda

One of the most characteristic customs of the local farmhouses is the txarriboda or pig slaughtering. Due to industrialisation this custom has all but disappeared in many areas, but some farmhouses still maintain it as a time when family and neighbours get together, and now also as a tourist attraction. Many local butchers offer chorizo sausage, blood sausage and meat from animals slaughtered locally.

Mushrooms

The thick woods of the area also provide high-quality, much-appreciated produce, most notably mushrooms (including the renowned perretxiko) which are a delight to lovers of good food. Picking these mushrooms is a laborious job, which has made them a real luxury product.

Recipes

The local produce in general is of very high quality, and this is reflected in the many typical local dishes, such as lamb stew, scrambled eggs with perretxikos, snails stuffed with perretxikos, gateau basque, etc. There is a deeply rooted tradition of fine cuisine in this area, encouraged by the many txokos or gastronomic clubs dotted about the area. Some of these clubs have individual recipes of their own which have brought them great renown.

Pottery and flower growing

Not just cooking, but also many other crafts based on local resources which were once essential features of life at every farmhouse in the area are now maintained as hobbies or separate trades, including the following:

• Traditional ceramics and pottery in Ollerías
• Flower growing in Markina