Txoko
Encyclopedia
A Txoko (ˈtʃoko) is a typically Basque
type of closed gastronomical society. Traditionally they are only open to male members who come together to cook, experiment with new ways of cooking, eat and socialise. They are very popular institutions, the town of Gernika, Spain
, for example, has approximately 15,000 inhabitants and nine txokos with some 700 members in total.
. In some regions, the variant xoko is used. In Spanish
they are called sociedades gastronómicas, in French
sociétés gastronomiques.
, Spain
, from where they have spread outwards geographically in all directions. They are a modern development of originally informal groups of friends who would regularly meet to eat, drink, sing and talk.
During the Franco years, txokos became increasingly popular as they were one of the few places where Basques could legally meet without state control, speak Basque and sing Basque songs as the constitution of the txokos prohibited the discussion of politics on the premises.
Members pay a monthly membership fee which varies from society to society and the exact setup. A treasurer
, administrator and buyer
are usually nominated who oversee the administration of the txoko. Usually, someone outside the society is hired to deal with the cleaning.
Each txoko has a society constitution
that sets out things like the maximum number of members, administration issues and so on. Curiously, most traditional txokos have a clause in their constitution that prohibits the discussion of politics on the premises. Some very conservative txokos have clauses that do not permit women access to the txoko at all such as the Sociedad Gaztelubide in San Sebastián which goes back to 1933. However, most txokos today allow women access to enter the txoko to eat, drink and socialise but not to cook.
Because the number of members is fixed, there are usually long waiting lists and vacancies in existing txokos become available only sporadically.
Such a group then "books" the txoko, buys, collects, harvests, hunts or fishes for fresh ingredients and gets together to prepare the meal. Each member has free access to the txoko's communal stocks. Every individual is responsible to record items such as food and drink that have been used from the communal stocks for themselves or their personal guests and pay for them. This system is fully self-regulated.
A few times a year, all txoko members are invited to get together which occasionally leads to space problems but it is rare for all members of a txoko to meet at the same time. The ratio between txoko members and guests can vary vastly. At the very least, one txoko member must be present at a dinner but since members are free to invite as many guests as they wish, they may on occasion be the only member present if they are holding a dinner for their football club, wider family, a business dinner, etc.
. Many traditional dishes have been rescued or resurrected by txokos which would have otherwise died out. They have also influenced the development of new dishes as txoko members frequently experiment with new dishes, ingredients and methods or variations of existing dishes. They are also places where information on the best and cheapest ingredients available is exchanged. This in turn has led to Basque cuisine being both highly refined and affordable.
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
type of closed gastronomical society. Traditionally they are only open to male members who come together to cook, experiment with new ways of cooking, eat and socialise. They are very popular institutions, the town of Gernika, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, for example, has approximately 15,000 inhabitants and nine txokos with some 700 members in total.
Name
Txoko, a diminuitive form of zoko, literally means nook, cosy corner in BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. In some regions, the variant xoko is used. In Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
they are called sociedades gastronómicas, in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
sociétés gastronomiques.
History
The first record of a txoko goes back to 1870 in San SebastiánSan Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, from where they have spread outwards geographically in all directions. They are a modern development of originally informal groups of friends who would regularly meet to eat, drink, sing and talk.
During the Franco years, txokos became increasingly popular as they were one of the few places where Basques could legally meet without state control, speak Basque and sing Basque songs as the constitution of the txokos prohibited the discussion of politics on the premises.
Setting up a txoko
Normally, a txoko is set up by a group of friends who decide to set up a society. Once enough founding members have been found, they rent a local restaurant or in some cases, buy an appropriate location and equipment. Normally these are premises in a basement with a kitchen or, in more affluent societies, at ground level. They are funded communally from the outset.Members pay a monthly membership fee which varies from society to society and the exact setup. A treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, administrator and buyer
Buyer
When someone gets characterised by their role as buyer of certain assets, the term "buyer" gets new meaning:A "buyer" or merchandiser is a person who purchases finished goods, typically for resale, for a firm, government, or organization...
are usually nominated who oversee the administration of the txoko. Usually, someone outside the society is hired to deal with the cleaning.
Each txoko has a society constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
that sets out things like the maximum number of members, administration issues and so on. Curiously, most traditional txokos have a clause in their constitution that prohibits the discussion of politics on the premises. Some very conservative txokos have clauses that do not permit women access to the txoko at all such as the Sociedad Gaztelubide in San Sebastián which goes back to 1933. However, most txokos today allow women access to enter the txoko to eat, drink and socialise but not to cook.
Because the number of members is fixed, there are usually long waiting lists and vacancies in existing txokos become available only sporadically.
Running a txoko
Since a txoko typically can have anything up to 80 members but space for less than that, usually not all members use the txoko at the same time. Someone will normally arrange for a smaller group of friends to get together to cook dinner for themselves, their families or guests.Such a group then "books" the txoko, buys, collects, harvests, hunts or fishes for fresh ingredients and gets together to prepare the meal. Each member has free access to the txoko's communal stocks. Every individual is responsible to record items such as food and drink that have been used from the communal stocks for themselves or their personal guests and pay for them. This system is fully self-regulated.
A few times a year, all txoko members are invited to get together which occasionally leads to space problems but it is rare for all members of a txoko to meet at the same time. The ratio between txoko members and guests can vary vastly. At the very least, one txoko member must be present at a dinner but since members are free to invite as many guests as they wish, they may on occasion be the only member present if they are holding a dinner for their football club, wider family, a business dinner, etc.
Impact on Basque cuisine
The development of txokos has and has had a significant impact on Basque cuisineBasque cuisine
Basque cuisine, the cuisine of the Basque people, includes meats and fish grilled over hot coals, marmitako and lamb stews, cod, Tolosa bean dishes, paprikas from Lekeitio, pintxos , Idiazabal sheep's cheese, txakoli sparkling wine, and Basque cider.A basquaise is a type of dish prepared in the...
. Many traditional dishes have been rescued or resurrected by txokos which would have otherwise died out. They have also influenced the development of new dishes as txoko members frequently experiment with new dishes, ingredients and methods or variations of existing dishes. They are also places where information on the best and cheapest ingredients available is exchanged. This in turn has led to Basque cuisine being both highly refined and affordable.