Basque is Back
by Judi Sandall
judi.sandall@chefschoolreview.com
Chef School Review Columnist
Chef Juan Mari Arzak, father of modern Spanish Basque cuisine and owner of Michelin 3-star Restaurante Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain has been instrumental in the resurgence of Basque cuisine. The lighter and less rustic La Nueva Cocina Vasca (New Basque Cuisine) has arrived on the international culinary arts scene.
Rustic Basque Culinary Arts
Known for simple seasonal ingredients, rustic Basque cuisine—an interesting culinary mix of French, Spanish, and cuisine uniquely Basque—includes succulent grilled and roasted meats and wild game, dried beans, peppers, green beans, and potatoes, selectively seasoned with aromatic spices like sweet smoky Spanish paprika.
The coastal areas of Basque country offer culinary excellence with seafood dishes, while the inland regions are famous for cured meats—chorizo and Bayonne ham, which is cured for a year. From the traditional txokos (male-dominated culinary arts social clubs) to the trendy pintxos (tapas bars) popping up in Barcelona or Madrid, Basque cuisine has finally made its way to the city from the rugged and isolated Pyrenees countryside.
California Basque Culinary Arts
Noted Basque chef and owner of Piperade and Bocadillos restaurants in San Francisco, Gerald Hirrigoyen is “reinterpreting his native culture for California tastes,” according to Michael Bauer, restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. In his review of Piperade, Bauer waxes poetic when he describes chef Hirrigoyen’s exquisite creation of crab Txangurro with flakey crab bound with mayo and fresh herbs in phyllo-like pastry, crisply fried in olive oil, served with mango-red pepper salsa; followed by orange blossom beignets with a hint of perfume for dessert.
Future of Basque Culinary Arts
Many of Spain’s top chefs—Ferran Adrià, Martin Berasategui, Joan Roca, Enrique Martínez, and Daniel Garcia—have helped to bring Basque cuisine to the forefront of the international culinary arts scene. Blend your sense of adventure with a culinary arts degree to become one of the up and coming chefs in the next 10 years. Who knows what culinary revolution you might help to spark?
Sources
About the Author
Judi Sandall is a technical writer and a regular Chef School Review columnist. She is a graduate of the State University of New York, with a BA in English Literature.
Posted on December 19, 2006 at 3:35 PM
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