Cidreria
We had a blast at Petritegi, a Basque cidreria, where we spent the last five hours enjoying a long lunch. Despite it not being cider season, the place was jam-packed with people. Asier, his brother Ernest, and their families joined us and the Nelsons, making our party a total of 15 people! The entire experience was memorable. We tried different ciders directly from the barrels, just like the typical Basque tradition. It was so much fun to see the attendant open the spigot and watch the cider fly out into our waiting glasses. Luke and Taiwa joined in the fun too, and I think Luke may have drank a wee too much. But let's talk about the food - We started with a fish omelet, followed by fish collar with garlic, and the highlight was definitely the Chuleton, a perfect steak. We couldn't get enough. For dessert, we had membrillo (quince paste) and Basque cheese, accompanied by walnuts.
Asier showed us different ways to open the walnuts, which added an element of fun to the meal. Niko wins for cracking the most walnuts with her pointer finger! I loved using the tip of a knife to crack walnuts. By inserting it and giving it a twist, I could keep the walnut intact almost every time. It was my go-to method! The best part was that we spent so much quality time together, and none of us wanted the day to end. We found ourselves going back to the cider barrels, having conversations ranging from the art of cider drinking at a cidreria to politics! By the way, once you fill your glass (two fingers high), you should drink it right away while there is air in the cider. Don't take your cider-filled glass back to the table. Good to know. This experience makes me value the importance of introducing Luke and Charlie to the benefit of making friends from all corners of the globe. It's incredible how these connections can endure, even if we only meet occasionally, as if time has never passed at all. To celebrate Baba's birthday, we played Couillon, drank a Belgian beer, and sprayed whipped cream directly into the boys' mouths straight from the can. Happy Birthday Baba Fox – we sure do miss you!
