The KENDAL TXOKO
A Txoko (Choc ko) Basque pronunciation: 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, in the Basque Country, for example, has approximately 15,000 inhabitants and
nine txokos with some 700 members in total. 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 and religion 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 socialize, 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. The aims of The Txoko are many but it is always centred around cooking, with individuals and groups taking it in turn to cook for all the members of The Txoko. There is an overriding ethos in developing ones’ culinary skills by learning from others. It is not a competition about who can produce the best food but very much about sharing knowledge. Often dishes cooked will be quite simple peasant based ideas. Much discussion of cuisine will often spill over into broader subjects such as the source of ingredients, wine, the countryside and all things associated to cooking.
