Barkaiztegi - Review - Martutene - San Sebastián - The Infatuation

"Barkaiztegi, like many cider houses, traces its origins back hundreds of years. The same family has made cider in this home on the outskirts of San Sebastián since the year 1680, almost three centuries before the cider house menu became a staple of Basque cuisine. In the late 1900s, local bar and restaurant owners began to bring their own food to their cider tastings to help soak up the alcohol—simple stuff that just needed a touch of flame. This soon evolved into the current cider house experience—unforgettable thanks to (or perhaps in spite of) the all-you-can-drink, serve-yourself cider drinking style. How it works: fill your glass directly from the barrel, and to do it right, you should catch the golden liquid at a distance of about three feet. Bring a group for the family-style set menu of steak, salt cod omelet, and a dessert board made up of walnuts in their shell, sheep cheese, and apple paste." - Marti Buckley