Basque to Basics

8/7/2019 Basque to Basics

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V i r t u o s o i n s i g h t s V i r t u o s o i n s i g h t s 39

Basque to BasicsThe d nner-pl te-s ze s l d he ped w thgr lled shr mp nd sc llops ollows thesweet red peppers stu ed w th resh cod. This, in itself, would be a noteworthy lunch.But we are in Basque Country. So, my boyfriendRobert and I pour ourselves another glass of redIroulguy wine and eye the pigeonneau brais aux morilles (braised wild pigeon with morelmushrooms) and magret de canard aux cerisesnoires (duck breast with black cherries) sittingbefore us.

Bon apptit , says Robert, reaching again forhis fork. Save room for dessert, I reply. Weneed to try their cake: the gteau Basque .

Rule Number One when visiting BasqueCountry: Erase the word restraint from yourvocabulary. The seven-province cultural regionstraddling southwest France and northern Spain

is one of Europes top culinary destinations not surprising, considering its prime locationsandwiched between the abundant Atlantic andfertile farmlands of the Pyrenees foothills. Thisis a region meant to be savored.

To backtrack: I had read that Basque peopleare serious foodies who spend a considerablechunk of their disposable income (more thantwice what is spent in the U.S.) on food. I wasintrigued by their private culinary societieswhere men meet to cook, eat, and socialize. Iwas curious about San Sebastin, the coastalresort with more Michelin stars per capita thanany other city in the world. Curious, too, aboutthe Rioja wine region and its new City of Wine.

And that is how this six-day culinary odyssey orchestrated by EuroPanache came to be. P

aNiTa CaRMiN explores Europes B sque Country fr nce nd Sp ns sh redcul n ry k ngdom where three golden rules st ll prev l: E t, dr nk, nd be merry.

main: A good shepherd in Aquitaine, France.opp site, fr left: A perfect pour at HotelMarqus de Riscal in Spain; magret de canard aux cerises noires (duck breast with black cherries);and Basque Country cheese really stacks up.


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For the French (Pays Basque) portion of the trip, ourbase is chic Biarritz on the Atlantics Bay of Biscay. For theSpanish (Pas Vasco) segment, we choose the medieval town of Elciego in the Rioja region. Our EuroPanache guide throughout:effervescent Severine, a Biarritz-area native and enthusiasticBasque ambassador.

Our introduction to French Basque culture and cuisine beginswith a day trip into larrire pays (the back country). Leavingthe coast, Severine briefs us on the history and lifestyle of theBasque people as we wind our way into the picturesque hillsidehamlets of the Pyrenees. First stop: thirteenth-century Ainhoa,considered one of the prettiest villages in all of France. A typicalBasque village, it has, in its center, a lovely church andfrontn (a sports court for pelote, the traditional Basque ball game). Thisbeing a Monday, many of the shops are closed, but the managerof the upscale Pierre Oteiza deli magically appears to open theshop just for us. We sample paper-thin slices of buttery jambondu Kintoa , a cured treat from the famous black-and-white Basquepigs; a variety of sausages including the popular Basquechorizo;and local sheeps cheese served with tiny dollops of cherry andpepper jelly. The perfect accompaniment to it all:Patxaran Alaiki ,a traditional prune liqueur.

After a stop in Espelette, where colorful strands of dried redpeppers (a Basque cuisine staple) adorn the villages homesand storefronts, its time for the aforementioned lunch at ChezKatina in Saint-Martin-dArrossa. Owned by the same family

for nearly a century, the country restaurant is now managedby great-granddaughter Naider who offers to order for us toensure that we get an authentic and comprehensive taste of Basque cuisine.

While were working our way through Chez Katinas extensivemenu, Severine is on the phone, working her many connections.Youre in for a real treat, she announces as we head fartherinto the mountains to secluded Ferme Feranyo, a family farmthat produces the regions acclaimed Ossau-Iraty sheeps milkcheese. Living in relative isolation, this shepherd family headedby two sisters handles each and every aspect of production,from raising and milking the sheep to aging the perfectly shapedcheese wheels. Our private tour with Liddy, one of the sister-owners, ends with a tasting of what is now my favorite cheese.

ck n B rr tz, we indulge in celeb-lifestyle

activities at Htel du Palais. Overlooking abreathtaking stretch of rugged Atlantic coastline,the Belle poque palace was built by NapoleonIII for his bride Eugnie in 1855, then converted

to a hotel in 1893. Theres an enormous seawater swimmingpool inaugurated by Gary Cooper and Frank Sinatra, and LaRotunde dining room with its sweeping views of the best surfingbeach in Europe made famous by Hollywood screenwriter PeterViertel while in town for the filming of HemingwaysThe SunAlso Rises.B

Rule NumBeR o Ne wheN visitiNg Basque c ouNtRy :

eRase

the

woRd

RestRaiNt

fRom

youR

vocaBulaRy

.ocal flavor: Basqueorizo and (right)d peppers add flareEspelletes annual

mento fair.

Thirteenth-century Ainhoa.


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On our last day in the French Basque Country, EuroPanachehas arranged a private gourmet adventure with star Chef AlainBriant, former executive chef to the Consul General of France in

San Francisco and now a well-known personality in Biarritz. Thedebonair Alain greets us at Les Halles, the citys lively morningfood market, steering us first to the fishmonger where he ordersa platter of fresh oysters and offers a quick lesson in proper oysterslurping which we master in between sips of chilled whitewine. Next, we move on to the olive purveyor for a tasting of olives and their oils. Alain moves briskly up and down the aisles,introducing us to merchants as he shops for lunch ingredients.Less than an hour later, in his nearby turn-of-the-century home,we sit down to a feast of sauted foie gras atop spicy gingerbread,pillowy herb-kissed scallops, a lovely arugula salad, and amlange of fresh zucchini and peas.Dlicieux!

n Sp n, the B sque prov nce o l v is hometo many of the Riojas celebrated wineries; among them,the 152-year-old Marqus de Riscal and its City of Winecomplex that includes a hotel, restaurant, spa, viticulturemuseum, wine shop, and gardens.

We drink in the intoxicating scenery as Severine drivesthrough the rolling wine country to sleepy Elciego, where werejolted awake by what appears to be a stranded spaceship in themidst of a medieval village vineyard. Avant-garde doesnt beginto describe the four-year-old Hotel Marqus de Riscal, designedby starchitect Frank Gehry, the creative force behind Bilbaos

world-renowned Guggenheim Museum.

An interesting side note: After Gehry designed the Guggenheim,the owners of the Marqus de Riscal winery approached himabout designing a hotel for their property. Gehry declined. The

winery execs persisted, inviting the architect to their vineyard fora visit. Down in the cellar, they retrieved a bottle of wine from1929 (Gehrys birth year) to drink. The wine was good, Gehry was impressed, and now the extravagant centerpiece of Marqusde Riscals City of Wine is the most talked-about hotel in Spain.

A three-night stay allows plenty of time for vineyard strolling,wine tasting, checking out the on-site vinotherapy spa with itsantioxidant-rich, grape-centered treatments, and indulging inRestaurante Marqus de Riscals innovative cuisine. Among thespecialties: candied hake and an Idiazabal cheese souffl.

For our final taste of Basque Country, Severine schedules athree-hour stop in San Sebastin (Basque name:Donostia ). Both

lively seaside resort and celebrated foodie destination, the city is known for its spectacular shell-shaped bay and its pintxos,the Basque gourmet tapas youll find on every bar counter.We immediately fall in love with San Sebastin and wish wedidnt have a plane to catch. We could easily spend several dayshere, taking part in the Basque custom of txikiteo, the nightly tapas crawl from bar to bar. But well have to make do withone farewell lunch. Fortunately, we have Severine for our savvy restaurant guide. She insists we try La Cepa, an authentic non-touristy spot favored by in-the-know locals since 1948. Its ourlast chance to indulge in jamn Jabugo y queso Roquefort , tortillade bacalao, and tarta de manzana .

Well talk restraint tomorrow.

w e Re jolted awake By what appeaRs to Be a stRaNded spaceship iN the midst of a medieval village viNeyaRd .

i

asque to the future:otel Marqus de Riscal,signed by starchitectank Gehry.

Seaside inSan Sebastin.

Tasty tapas.


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SEEFrom gastronomic getaways in the BasqueCountry to cooking classes in Paris and wine-and-truffles tours in Provence, EuroPanache offers insider access and once-in-a-lifetime

experiences for food-and-wine aficionados.Working with your Virtuoso travel advisor,EuroPanache will design a fully customizedprogram that takes you off the beaten pathand into the kitchens, farms, restaurants,wine estates, and private clubs few travelersever see. Contact your Virtuoso travel advisorfor all the details.

STAYPays BasqueThe former imperial summer mansion of Napoleon III and Eugnie de Montijo,Htel du Palais in Biarritz recalls the opulent lifestyle of the prosperous SecondEmpire. A-list guests enjoy a heated seawater swimming pool, a four-level spa, and

three restaurants including La Rotunde with its spectacular views of the Basquecoast and the more formal Villa Eugnie for gastronomic fare. Virtuoso guests receivea room upgrade on arrival, if available; buffet breakfast daily; complimentary airporttransfer upon departure; one round of golf per stay; early check-in and late checkout,if available; complimentary parking; and more. From EUR375 (approx. US$496) perroom, per night.

Pas VascoMedieval meets futuristic in Elciego, Spain. Located in the heart of the Rioja wineregion, Marqus de Riscal , a Luxury Collection Hotel, was designed by renownedarchitect Frank Gehry his second masterpiece in the country, after the GuggenheimMuseum in Bilbao. Part of the City of Wine complex, the hotel offers 43 guestrooms

and suites, two restaurants, and a Caudalie Vinothrapie Spa. Virtuoso guests enjoy a room upgrade on arrival, if available; breakfast daily; one vinotherapy Barrel Bathper stay, per room; and one glass of Marqus de Riscal wine per person. For up-to-the-minute pricing, contact your Virtuoso travel advisor.

DOING IT

Paris as a First or Final Course on page 44 P Grape expectations in lava.


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hether youre embarking on a food-and-wine holiday in Normandy, Burgundy,

or the Basque Country, make Paris yourappetite-whetting starting (or ending) point.

Take a few days to stroll the open-air marketsand discover the citys chic wine shops. Check out thebustling bistro scene. Linger over espressos at sidewalk cafswhere the people-watching is delicious and the waitersnever rush you.

Stop by thecharcuterie for pat, the fromagerie for cheese,the boulangerie for a baguette, and the patisserie for sweets.Then visit one of Paris many parks fordjeuner au soleil (lunch in the sun). Need to burn off some of those calories?Head to the Jardin des Tuileries for an early-morning runbefore the city awakes; youll have the spectacular gardenbetween the Louvre and Place de la Concorde all to yourself.

If you have the time, and would like to unleash yourinner-Julia, ask your Virtuoso travel advisor to arrangea hands-on cooking class or one-on-one lesson with aprofessional chef. Youll return home with stories, recipes,and the culinary confidence to create those flaky croissantsand melt-in-your-mouth macarons in your own kitchen.

t he peRfect p Relude oR f iNale to a g ouRmet g etawaypaRis

STAYThose with an appreciation for history opt for Htelde Cr llon on Place de la Concorde. Commissionedby Louie XV in 1758, and later acquired by the Countde Crillon, the property was transformed into a palace-hotel in 1907. Everyone from Marie Antoinette to

Madonna and the Dalai Lama have passed throughits doors which, today, lead to 103 guest rooms and44 Grand Apartments. After shopping on nearby Faubourg Saint-Honor, join fashionable Parisians for adrink in the Sonia Rykieldesigned Bar at Htel Crillonand dinner in Le Ambassadeurs, housed in the formerballroom. Virtuoso guests receive a room upgrade onarrival, if available; breakfast daily; bottle of LaurentPerrier Champagne; late checkout, if available; and, forstays of three nights or longer, a complimentary one-way airport transfer. From EUR550 (approx. US$698)per room, per night.

w Caf comforts in theMontmartre district.

The Louvre andJardin des Tuileries.

The courtyard atHtel de Crillon.

Eric Cuvillier

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Basque to Basics