It is not often women say they cannot keep their husbands out of the kitchen, but in Spain's food-mad northern Basque region, the men often prefer to keep the cooking among themselves.
Renowned in Spain for their love of good food, the Basques' popular temples to their culinary cult are all-male gastronomic societies known as txokos.
In these simple clubs, whose name in the ancient Basque language means "corner", attendance is by invitation only. There is no menu and the members share the cooking among themselves.
Nestling among a row of restaurants on a bustling pedestrian street in downtown Bilbao, no sign distinguishes the entrance to the txoko Indartzu.
"This is a meeting place for friends. Most of us have known each other since childhood," said head chef Edu, a jolly, ruddy-faced Basque. "Cooking is something which us Basques are born with in our genes."
Inside, long wooden tables line the walls, which are decorated with club noticeboards, photos of sportsmen and paintings of the rugged, green Basque countryside.
Groups of smartly dressed men, who come from nearby offices for a mid-week lunch, give the txoko a business-like atmosphere.
Pride of place is given to the large kitchen, equipped like that in a professional restaurant, with sturdy stainless steel ovens and enormous pots and pans. Behind a door at the back of the kitchen hides an extensive wine cellar stacked with choice Riojas.
"My wife is sick of me coming here. She says I spend more time in the txoko than I do with her," Edu said, standing beside his two apron-wearing "assistants".
Txokos were established in the late 19th century in the elegant seaside resort of San Sebastian as a means for Basque men to abscond from their female-dominated homes.
Basque society was matriarchal, with lines of succession going from mother to daughter.
"Women have always been the bosses at home. Here we can play cards and talk about food," said Javi, holding a glass of the light and acidic local white wine, txakoli. "It is better not to allow women. There is no jealousy and we argue less."
But traditions are changing slowly amid protest from feminists. Many txokos now open their doors to women on Fridays, weekends and during holidays.
"When women do come, they are treated like princesses. They are forbidden from cooking or washing up," said Edu, who won a bronze medal in a regional cookery contest. - Reuters