Basque country is a union of oppposites: a mountain culture perched on the edge of the sea. Though this region straddles the Pyrenees, beginning at the throat of the Iberian peninsula and ending in Southern France, the Basques share a commonality of spirit and culture that has lasted for more than 5000 years, withstanding countless invasions. The influx of foreigners enriched the basic Basque cuisine of fish, meat and grains: the Romans brought wheat, wine and olive oil, the Muslims introduced rice and citrus, the Americans returned with corn, chocolate, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes, resulting in distinctive flavours. This recipe book explores the flavours of the region.
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3.6 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
88 of 101 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
OK French-inspired California cuisine. Basque? Not much.
1 Oct 1999
By Victor de la Serna (vserna@el-mundo.es)
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
So Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks with Onion Marmalade and Lentils is Basque? Because there's tuna in it and the Basque dish, Marmitako, is also based on tuna (bluefin tuna, by the way)? No. Mr. Hirigoyen's dish, which can be perfectly OK, is the typical French/Californian concoction with maybe a touch of Asian in it. Again: very fine, but Mr. Hirigoyen should avoid using the misleading word, "Basque", in the title. The Basque Country is about 85% on the Spanish side of the border, south of the Pyrenees and the Bidasoa river. While the "Spanish Basque" chefs have remained adamantly Basque, and have indeed "Basquified" to a large extent all of modern Spanish cookery, the "French Basque" chefs have let themselves, for many decades, become thoroughly "Frenchified", learning in French culinary schools and following the edicts of classic French cuisine. This becomes apparent in Mr. Hirigoyen's constant use of butter, not to mention many of his techniques.
One of the top two chefs now working in Iparralde (i.e. the French part of the Basque Country), Christian Parra of L'Auberge de la Galupe in Urt (the other is Firmin Arrambide, of Les Pyrénées in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port), once told the French magazine Gault-Millau: "You know why the Spanish Basque chefs are better and more creative than we are? Because we all have a well-worn copy of Escoffier's cook next to our kitchen, and the Spanish Basques haven't even heard of Escoffier."
Jokes aside, Parra and Arrambide are now the leaders because they have rejoined the overall Basque movement led by Juan Mari Arzak of Donostia (San Sebastián): a return to the Basque sources (and some important Spanish ones, like Jabugo ham and virgin olive oil) to start creating from them and not from Paris-inspired fashions, products and techniques.
I have the impression that Mr. Hirigoyen left the Basque Country before this movement took off on the French side of the border, before French Basque chefs became Basque again. His ignorance of southern (Spanish) Basque recipes and culinary traditions, which represent a large majority of the Basque cooking heritage, is rather amazing, as other reviewers have pointed out.
By the way, in case anyone's interested: I am a journalist, and occasionally a wine and food writer, based in Spain, but with extensive experience in France and the United States. So I think I know what I'm writing about in this case.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
delightful
20 Jan 2000
By M.A.
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I'm a tough customer for cookbooks, but this one is a winner on many fronts for me. The recipes are exciting and different from the many other European regional cookbooks, the history is interesting, the photos are beautiful, and best of all for me, the recipes are nearly fool-proof. I delighted my friends one night recently with the lamb stew - fabulous - and my husband has made the haricots verts salad a staple in our home. The gateau basque and chocolate "rocks" are both unforgettably wonderful. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in adding some wonderful new flavors to their kitchen.
26 of 32 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps okay for French Basque food, but not Spanish
29 Aug 1999
By Gerry Dawes
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I scanned Mr. Hirigoyen's book and did not buy it, even though I am always on the lookout for books on the cuisines of Spain and Spain's Basque Country. What put me off was the recipe for patatas a la riojana, which called for no chorizo and included butter and white pepper (as did many of the so-called Spanish Basque recipes). Patatas a la riojano just happens to be one of my favorite folk dishes in Spain. As the name implies, it comes from the great Spanish wine region, La Rioja, which also has a Basque section, La Rioja Alavesa. In my trips to La Rioja, probably 30 by now, I have had patatas a la riojana numerous times, never without chorizo. In fact, patatas a la riojana is also known by its more common name, patatas con chorizo. I have also helped make bacalao al pil-pil and I can assure you, there is nothing easy about the versions I have seen made, contrary to Mr. Hirigoyen's assertions. As a widely-published writer on the wines of Spain, I was shocked by Mr. Hirigoyen's lack of knowledge about the wines of the Spanish Basque Country. As to French Basque food, perhaps the book is much stronger, but I know little about the subject. Spain and France, Basque or not, are much different in their approach to food, IMHO
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3.6 out of 5 stars
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