Txoko

A Txoko (Basque pronunciation: [ˈtʃoko]) is a typically Basque type of closed gastronomical society where people come together to cook, experiment with new ways of cooking, eat and socialize. The most traditional ones are only open to male members. 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.

Txoko, a diminutive form of zoko, literally means nook, cosy corner in Basque. In some regions, the variant xoko is used. In Spanish, they are called sociedades gastronómicas, in French sociétés gastronomiques.

The first record of a txoko goes back to 1870 in San Sebastián, Spain, from where they 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.

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, 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.

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Wikipedia