Pamplona, Spain.  You know it for Running of the Bulls or perhaps if you’re an English Lit buff, you’ve heard about it in Hemingway’s book, The Sun Also Rises.

I was there on a mission to explore the food scene, but that can sometimes be a challenge when my husband is more of a history geek than a foodie.

Cue Pamplona Food.  It was exactly what a couple like us needed to bridge the gap between the history scene and gastronomic side of the city.

We met our guide Bea, and we started the afternoon with a tour that explained the history of the city, of course including the running of the bulls.  The world famous festival that has been around since 1385, so it’s only natural that it’s had a big impact on the culture and history of the city.The part of the tour that won me over(besides the wine, but we’ll get to that in a minute) was learning about Peñas.

What’s a Peña, you ask?  I had the same question, and now that I know, I wish they were everywhere!

Peñas are establishments where people can either buy or rent a space and basically use it as a public kitchen.  People young and old gather at Peñas with friends and family to eat, drink, and yes, be merry.Back in the day only men were able to enjoy this tradition, but today, they’re open to men, women and children; it’s a family affair.

Depending on the time of day, you will get a different atmosphere in these shared kitchens.  When we visited, the downstairs had two family groups and one lively bunch of guys enjoying drinks and singing songs.  Upstairs was a giant birthday celebration, with families and kids and lots of food.  We got a glimpse of the aftermath.With a shared kitchen and an honesty policy bar, someone like myself that has a large extended family instantly fell in love with the concept.  You can invite the whole crew, share the cooking, keep your house clean and have a great party.  It’s the perfect solution for when your party out-grows your house.After our city tour we headed back to Bea’s shop where we got into the wine!  She didn’t have to twist my arm!  I saw our table set for the tasting and I pulled up a spot right away!Each of the glasses we sampled were young wines from the Navarra Region.  Bea knew the story of each vineyard, many being family run, and all making delicious wines.

We were walked through each wine; exploring colour, smell, the swirl, and of course the best part…the tasting.

We started with Beramendi, a white wine.Next was a rosé that was so pink, I would almost say it was magenta.  I’m not always a fan of sweet rosés but this wasn’t nearly as sweet as it looked.  The grapes weren’t pressed, but ‘bled’ to make this wine.The final wine was called Urabain, and by now, things were going down quite smoothly.We were in Navarrian wine heaven and were now ready for some snacking!Living in France has turned me into a fresh bread and olive oil dipping junkie.  I thought I used pretty good olive oil at home, but when I tried the two different oils we were given, things were stepped up to a whole new level.  I’ve never tasted oil so delicious.  Ever.I have to admit that I went for seconds on the olive oil before moving on to our next tasting. The ham, or jambon since we’re in Spain, was Basque pig, in Spanish called Euskal-Txerri. If you’re a jambon lover, you’ll love this one.  Apparently I’m a jambon and an olive oil lover.Next up on the menu- Ajoarriero.

Not sure what that is?

Neither was I, but Bea explained that it was salted cod with garlic and peppers.  By now you might be thinking that I love eating everything.  But I must admit, fish isn’t always at the top of my list.  I tried it anyway, and I don’t know if it was the wine sparking my appetite, or an amazing recipe and cook behind this cod…perhaps both, because I went back for more. The Spanish, not unlike the French, can often be found having cheese for dessert, which is exactly what we did.

Bea brought out Idiaza Bal; sheep’s milk cheese, with tomato and onion jam.As we snacked away, we slowly made our way to the bottom of the bottles, which worked out well because everyone seemed to have a favourite of their own.

We had a great day with Pamplona Food.  Not only did we eat, but we drank, got the history and walked around the city.  My only issue at the end was that we had a dinner reservation in under 2 hours and I was already thinking about undoing the top button of my jeans!

Thanks to Pamplona Food for having us as guests.  All opinions are my own.