Pintxos — the Basque equivalent of tapas, specifically the preparations of San Sebastián's old town — represent the highest expression of Spanish bar food technique. Unlike tapas (which are free or inexpensive), pintxos are composed preparations of extraordinary creativity: a small piece of bread topped with sophisticated combinations of seafood, meat, vegetables, and sauces. The technical range is enormous — from simple assembly to full cooking.
- **The bread base:** Small slices of baguette — the structure for the pintxo. - **The variety:** Gilda (anchovy, olive, pickled pepper on a toothpick — the original pintxo, named for the Rita Hayworth film); txangurro (spider crab on toast); foie gras; pintxo of jamón with piquillo pepper. - **The temperature management:** Hot pintxos prepared à la minute (grilled squid, sautéed mushrooms); cold pintxos assembled in advance and held at the bar temperature.
Spain: The Cookbook