Welcome to Pinchos de cultura!

Welcome to Pinchos de cultura, the newsletter for Second Lengua! Here you will find short articles about various aspects of history, culture, and language from all over the Spanish-speaking world.  

In this inaugural newsletter we should first explain the title a bit. What is a pincho? In northern Spain, most especially in the Basque region, pinchos are snacks that are often served on a small piece of bread and held in place by a large toothpick. The word pincho means stick or skewer, and is a reference to this style of presentation. 

Various pinchos in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain.

How are pinchos different from tapas? While both involve a small amount of food, pinchos are generally conceived of as a separate snack in and of themselves, whereas tapas are a small, snack-sized portion of a meal. And while tapas may be included with the price of a drink in some places, most famously in the southern Spanish city of Granada, pinchos are something that you always pay for separately.

A tapa of salmorejo with a slice of tortilla and a slice of bread.  Salmorejo is a tomato soup served cold, like gazpacho, but its other ingredients are bread, olive oil, and garlic, whereas gazpacho includes green peppers, cucumbers, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. This salmorejo also included a bit of red beets, which gave it this vibrant pink-red color. Tortilla, in Spain, refers to an egg and potato dish that can be served warm or at room temperature.

A summer lunch of bread, salad, and tortilla española.

We hope this pincho de cultura has whet your appetite and you are looking forward to the next bite-sized bit of culture, coming to your inbox next week! ¡Hasta entonces!