Basque countries

Restaurants

Restaurant Pluviôse, Saint-Jean-de-Luz France

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What a pleasure to find a restaurant so utterly concentrated on making simply-delicious food from the freshest possible, ultra-local ingredients and trusting that it will be beautiful, without any flourishes!  In this age of tweezer-food, micro-flowers, sauce dots and Instagram-able plates, it’s like dining in a monastery! And here, the monks dine very well! Located […]

Restaurant Pluviôse, Saint-Jean-de-Luz France Read More »

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What a pleasure to find a restaurant so utterly concentrated on making simply-delicious food from the freshest possible, ultra-local ingredients and trusting that it will be beautiful, without any flourishes!  In this age of tweezer-food, micro-flowers, sauce dots and Instagram-able plates, it’s like dining in a monastery! And here, the monks dine very well! Located

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Stuff

Brandade for lunch

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Brandade de morue was one of the all-time favorite dishes at Le Pichet and Cafe Presse. Whenever it was not on the menu, guests would be asking when it was coming back.  Our local fish shop, Poissonerie Otano, always has beautiful salt cod on offer, either as fillets or “miettes” which  means small odds and

Brandade for lunch Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Brandade de morue was one of the all-time favorite dishes at Le Pichet and Cafe Presse. Whenever it was not on the menu, guests would be asking when it was coming back.  Our local fish shop, Poissonerie Otano, always has beautiful salt cod on offer, either as fillets or “miettes” which  means small odds and

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Stuff

Axoa d’Espelette

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Special this weekend at Café Presse: Axoa d’Espelette!Basque-style stew of ground beef and veal simmered with onions, sweet peppers, garlic, tomato and piment d’Espelette, served with pommes frites. Mmmmm!

Axoa d’Espelette Read More »

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Special this weekend at Café Presse: Axoa d’Espelette!Basque-style stew of ground beef and veal simmered with onions, sweet peppers, garlic, tomato and piment d’Espelette, served with pommes frites. Mmmmm!

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Better Know a Cheese

E. Cabretou, now on the cheese board

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Now on the cheese board at Café Presse, this goat’s milk tomme from the French Basque region is perfectly ripe and ready to sample. The Basques are famous for their sheep milk cheeses, but a small amount of goat’s milk cheese is also made. These large tommes, which weight about 9#, take their name from

E. Cabretou, now on the cheese board Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Now on the cheese board at Café Presse, this goat’s milk tomme from the French Basque region is perfectly ripe and ready to sample. The Basques are famous for their sheep milk cheeses, but a small amount of goat’s milk cheese is also made. These large tommes, which weight about 9#, take their name from

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Fromagerie Écologique Agour Irati

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In April 2019, I had the opportunity to visit the Fromagerie Ecologique Agour Irati located high up foothills of the Basque Pyrenees. A quick word about Agour (I also noticed it spelled Agur, which I believe is in Euskera, the Basque language? You Euskera speakers, correct me if I am wrong). If you are a

Fromagerie Écologique Agour Irati Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

In April 2019, I had the opportunity to visit the Fromagerie Ecologique Agour Irati located high up foothills of the Basque Pyrenees. A quick word about Agour (I also noticed it spelled Agur, which I believe is in Euskera, the Basque language? You Euskera speakers, correct me if I am wrong). If you are a

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Restaurants

Restaurant Arrantzaleak, Ciboure, France

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Located on a quiet street fronting the estuary of the Nivelle river, behind the fishing docks in the Basque coastal town of Ciboure, Restaurant Arrantzaleak doesn’t give the impression that it might be one of the best known restaurants in the region.  The decor is modest, with even a bit of seaside schmaltz…the walls are

Restaurant Arrantzaleak, Ciboure, France Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Located on a quiet street fronting the estuary of the Nivelle river, behind the fishing docks in the Basque coastal town of Ciboure, Restaurant Arrantzaleak doesn’t give the impression that it might be one of the best known restaurants in the region.  The decor is modest, with even a bit of seaside schmaltz…the walls are

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France

Fete de Bixentxo, Ciboure

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The Basque fishing port of Ciboure is only minutes from the French border with Spain, on the bay of Biscay.  Because it has no sandy beaches, it has remained an active fishing port and a sleepy neighbor to big sister Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the Belle Époque  beach resort across the harbor. Each year during January, however,  Ciboure

Fete de Bixentxo, Ciboure Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

The Basque fishing port of Ciboure is only minutes from the French border with Spain, on the bay of Biscay.  Because it has no sandy beaches, it has remained an active fishing port and a sleepy neighbor to big sister Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the Belle Époque  beach resort across the harbor. Each year during January, however,  Ciboure

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Restaurants

“Chez Mattin”, Ciboure France

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Chez Mattin (pronounced “ma chin”) is a Basque bistrot in the fishing port of Ciboure, which lies across harbor from the larger coastal city of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.  With its menu of traditional Basque specialties and its wood beamed dining room, Chez Mattin feels like a portal into a simpler time in dining.  This is good, honest

“Chez Mattin”, Ciboure France Read More »

[portfolio_slideshow]

Chez Mattin (pronounced “ma chin”) is a Basque bistrot in the fishing port of Ciboure, which lies across harbor from the larger coastal city of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.  With its menu of traditional Basque specialties and its wood beamed dining room, Chez Mattin feels like a portal into a simpler time in dining.  This is good, honest

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