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The Social Bonds of Cooking

Gastronomic Societies in the Basque Country

University College Dublin, a.hess{at}ucd.ie

In the Basque Country cooking and eating together in gastronomic societies (in Basque: txokos, in Spanish: sociedades gastronómicas) are highly popular activities. They represent a form of social bonding that has, maybe surprisingly, not been given much sociological attention. This article tries to remedy this situation. It recalls and describes the history, development and geographical distribution of the txoko; it looks into its formal organization, its unique social and culinary environment and its social functions. It concludes by suggesting that the txoko is a phenomenon that may best be studied and discussed in the context of plebeian cultures and related moral economies.

Key Words: Basque culture • gastronomic societies • sociology of food • txokos • plebeian culture • moral economy

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