The temptation of delicious food - Basque food and drink in Spain (1)?

The impression of Basque food comes from the 2011 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) food program "Top Professional" Chef Competition (Master Chef Professional)”. The Top Chef winner that year was an Australian living in the UK and had a Basque girlfriend. From start to finish, his cooking is always Basque. In the interview, he said that he likes Basque cuisine very much and gets a lot of inspiration from Basque traditional and modern cooking. His cooking and his words drew my attention and interest to Basque cuisine. I checked online and found out that there are seven Michelin three-star restaurants in Spain, four of which are in the Basque Country. Especially San Sebastian, a city with a population of only 180,000, actually has three three-star restaurants (Arzak, Akelarre, Martin Berasategui). It is no exaggeration to call it a gourmet capital. In early 2012, a panel of internationally renowned travel writers and food critics awarded San Sebastian the world's best food tourism destination.

The renaissance of Basque cuisine originated in the 1970s. At that time, when it came to Spanish cooking, the basic impression was that of home-cooked food, which had nothing to do with fine cuisine. A group of young Spanish chefs are determined to change that and take local cooking to the next level. On the basis of maintaining tradition, they drew on modern technology and techniques, integrated and developed the strengths of each family, and finally brought Spanish cuisine to the top position in the world. Basque chefs played a very important role in this revival. Juan Mari Arzak, the owner and chef of the Michelin three-star restaurant Arzak, is one of the leading figures and is revered as the godfather of Spanish cooking.

I specially booked Arzak’s lunch before going to Basque Country. Diners come from all over the world. The table next to us is an Israeli chef who came to Basque at his own expense to learn and experience cooking skills. He has been living here for more than two months. The restaurant is now managed by Arzak and his daughter, whose daughter Elena was the world's best female chef in 2015. We chose the restaurant's "Tasting Menu", which consists of nine courses. Taste aside, it is definitely a feast for the eyes. From the cutlery to the presentation, everything is beautiful. The selection and combination of ingredients and cooking methods are also very creative. As for taste, it's a matter of opinion. For example, we felt that the two desserts in the nine dishes were average, while our Dutch friends thought that each one was good, but the best one was the dessert.

In addition to having a considerable number of top restaurants, I think what really makes the Basque country famous around the world is its ubiquitous civilian food: Tapas (pre-dinner snacks, called Pintxos in Basque). Tapas are popular throughout Spain. But the variety, richness of flavors and exquisiteness of preparation are unmatched by any other region in Spain we have visited. The old town of San Sebastian alone is a palm-sized area that can be walked in ten minutes. There are dozens of tapas shops and thousands of snacks, each with its own signature snacks.

It turns out that I have always believed that Italian food is closest to Chinese tastes among Western food, and French food is the most exquisite. After going to Basque Country, my original impression changed greatly. In terms of taste, Basque cooking basically uses olive oil and rarely uses animal fats such as butter. In addition, Basque cooking pays attention to the original flavor, and there are many stews made in clay pots. Moreover, the Basques like to eat cooked food, which is very similar to the Chinese. When it comes to the exquisiteness of cooking, Basque cuisine adds innovation while retaining tradition, integrating and carrying forward the strengths of each family. Whether it's a Michelin-starred restaurant or a street eatery, you won't be disappointed.