Tucked away in the northwest corner of Spain, Basque Country not only boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than any other region in the world, but its unique confluence of mountain and sea, values and tradition, informs every bite of its soulful cuisine, from pintxos to accompany a glass of wine to the elbows-on-the-table meals served in its legendary eating clubs.

Yet Basque Country is more than a little inaccessible--shielded by a unique language and a distinct culture, it's an enigma to most outsiders. Until now. Marti Buckley, an American chef, journalist, and...