First salmon of the season

Sold for 1600€ to Rekondo restaurant in San Sebastian

This first specimen (lehenbiziko in Basque language) was caught in the Bidasoa river by a local fisherman and was bought as is tradition by the Rekondo restaurant in San Sebastian. The specimen weighed 4.4 kg and was caught by spoon at the Endarlatsa dam.

The Atlantic salmon fishing in the Basque Country is very restrictive and several permits are needed to fish. Salmon specie is in a recovery phase in our rivers, so its fishing is very limited. In the past, salmon fishing was a very important resource for the people in the Basque Country and northern Spain, but overfishing, river pollution and hydraulic dams made it disappear. Decades ago the government developed a very ambitious plan for its recovery.

Today the rivers are very clean thanks to the water purification plants, and the old dams that prevented the salmon from going up the rivers have been destroyed. Fishing quotations are very controlled and only 5% of the total number of fish returning from the sea for spawning are allowed to be caught. In my opinion, there is still a lot to be done to enjoy fishing in our rivers. We lack more ecological policies that educate the river populations on how to take care of the environment in order to enjoy it to the full. Still, unfortunately, it is normal to see children throwing plastic on the ground or plastic waste from an industrial park thrown all over the river bank. This makes my blood boil and these are very important issues that should be addressed.

On the other hand, we have to be happy about the current situation of our rivers. It is a situation with room for improvement but today it is very satisfactory for sport fishermen. Numerous catches of brown trout and sea trout can be made. The capture of salmon is always more complicated due to the limited number of specimens and their feeding habits.

The policy for trout and sea trout is catch and release, for salmon a special permit is needed and there is a limitation on the number of catches with death.

We will continue to fight to improve the quality of our rivers for us and for future generations and in my opinion education is a determining factor in this conservation process.

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Pottok, the basque horse

Pottok or Pottoka

Pottoka is a breed from the Basque Country. It is a slender and strong animal. Very well adapted to the environment of Euskal Herria and at the same time reinforced and molded as a result of this special environment. Inhabiting our mountains and valleys since the Paleolithic Era (40,000 B.C.). The beautiful images of the Ekain and Santimamiñe caves bear witness to this. Until now it has been a loyal and hard-working helper in day-to-day life and development. The pottoka has long played an important role in the tradition and myths of Euskal Herria. All this and the breed’s own personality and antiquity make the pottoka special.

Although the word pottoka in Basque is used to refer to any breed of animal, it began to be used to refer to the offspring of horses and has finally become attached to this special breed.

Some drawings and images of Euskal Herria (Ekain, Etxeberri, Santimamiñe…) have as main subject the horse’s head, favorite prey of the hunters of the Madgalenian age, and the pottoka also appears in several drawings made on bones. These data make us think that the pottoka has lived in the mountains of Euskal Herria since the Paleolithic Age. Therefore, they may be the testimony of the horses of prehistoric times, a breed that has lasted until today and has special zootechnical characteristics.

The Pottoka has had various uses throughout history. It is a well-built animal, with medium and proportionate measurements and a strong muscular body. In character, on the other hand, they are fast, faithful and very resistant. For all these characteristics it has been used for various functions: riding, hunting and wars, cart pulling and agricultural work, pulling mining wagons, grain sowing, for meat (crossed with burguete horses), foreign exports (Indian army) and lately, apart from being used to keep the meadows and mountains clean, it can be seen in various riding activities.

Despite being an extraordinary animal for the above mentioned activities, today it is an endangered animal. Nowadays it has been marginalized to the mountains and useless corners for several reasons: modernity, mechanization of agricultural works, private ownership of mountains and lands and their productive utility, the breed itself and the lack of market for its products.

It is a social horse used to living in a group. The group normally consists of 10-15 females and their respective males. The relationships between the two are very special and in early spring and summer are reinforced. Each group usually lives in its own territory. Traditions are renewed from generation to generation, the topography, the microclimate and the knowledge about the plants are transmitted from one to another.

 

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Traditional Basque Cheese

Traditional Basque sheep’s milk cheese

There are 3 types of Basque cheeses on both sides of the Pyrenees that are made from raw sheep’s milk.
On the Spanish Basque side we have the Idiazabal and Roncal cheeses. In both cases these cheeses obtain their milk from the Latxa sheep, a species of sheep from the Basque Country from which a very tasty milk is obtained largely due to the greenery of the pastures on which it feeds. The milk obtained is always used unpasteurized for the production of these cheeses.

On the French Basque side we have the Irati-Ossau cheese. In this case the sheep that produce this cheese are of the Manech and Béarnese Basque type. They feed in the summer in high altitude pastures in the Pyrenees. In order to obtain the denomination of origin, this cheese can only be produced in spring and summer to guarantee the maximum quality of the product.

basque cheese

Basque cheese

Below we will describe the characteristics of each of the cheeses:

Irati-Ossau

The name comes from the area where it comes from, which is the Ossau Valley and the Irati Forest, the largest beech forest in Europe. As mentioned above, the sheep used in the production of this cheese are of the Manech and Vasco Bearnesa types. Its area of distribution is centered in the Pyrenees on the French side. These are areas ranging between 500 and 1500 meters above sea level. The cheese can only be made with milk from spring and summer. The cheese weighs between 3 and 5kg.

Idiazabal

It is a denomination of origin from the Basque Country and Navarra. The milk from Latxa and Carranzana sheep is used for the production of these cheeses. These cheeses weigh between 1 and 3kg.
There are two varieties of this cheese, it can be cured or cured and smoked. For me, the most delicious is the normal one, but there is nothing written about tastes.

Roncal

The Roncal Valley is located in Navarra, in the Pyrenean area from the border with France to the Bardenas Reales. In the summer the Latxas sheep feed on the high mountain pastures in areas up to 2000m altitude. Then in the winter they go south to feed. This has been the case since the time of King Sancho Garcia in the 9th century.

 

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San Sebastian a piece of art

San Sebastian is known worldwide for its gastronomy and its beaches but it is also important to highlight its cultural and artistic offer.
In this case we want to focus on the artistic offer of the region of San Sebastian.
In the city are scattered different works of Basque artists such as Eduardo Chillida, Jorge Oteiza or Cristina Iglesias.

In this short article I want to highlight only the most important things to visit.

The Comb of the Winds

One of the most outstanding works of art is undoubtedly “The Comb of the Winds” by Eduardo Chillida, one could say that it is one of the symbols of the city. It is located at the end of the bay of La Concha on the rocks. It is an idyllic place where tourists can enjoy the scenery and capture some beautiful photos by the sea.

Chillida Leku

Eduardo Chillida is a universal Basque artist who has a museum dedicated to his work on the outskirts of the city. The museum is located in a 15th century Basque-style country house with large gardens where the art pieces are scattered. Eduardo Chillida worked with different materials such as iron, wood and stone. It is a place worth a visit.

The lighthouse of Santa Clara Island in San Sebastian

On the island of Santa Clara in the bay of La Concha in San Sebastian was recently inaugurated the work of the Basque artist Cristina Iglesias. It is located inside an old lighthouse and is made of bronze. It is a representation of the seabed and specifically is a representation of the unique Basque coastal landscape. It has very curious and capricious forms as if sculpted by the water and the wind. It is undoubtedly the masterpiece of Cristina Iglesias. To access it is necessary to obtain tickets through tourism in San Sebastian as the capacity is very limited so hurry up and get your tickets.

In short, the artistic offer of san sebastian is exciting and worth a visit.

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The biggest trout of the season

Fly fishing in the Basque Country

It was a mid-July day in the Basque mountains. The summer has been very rainy this year 2021 so the river was flowing beautifully with plenty of water.
This day I was guiding my guest and friend Bill from California. In a shallow area of fast flowing, oxygenated water the big trout awaited us.
A few minutes before Bill had lost another big trout in a previous rapid but after a while of fighting the trout escaped. So we were in a good area and the trouts were very active. I was wearing shorts at the time and didn’t have my waders on. On the third cast with the nymph the trout took it! The fight was on! She climbed up the pool, went under the rocks, jumped, got into the currents, but after all these maneuvers I managed to stop the fish. After those heart-stopping moments the fish relaxed a bit and all I had to do was wait for the right moment to net it. The fight lasted about 10 minutes but I didn’t want to show it all in the video. It was one of the fights of my fly fishing life, an unforgettable moment.

 

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The time we went to Rioja and not to drink wine!

I always say that in La Rioja there are more things than wineries and wine. It is a land with an impressive historical and natural heritage.
In this case our client wanted to make a recording playing her instrument. For this she needed a special place with good acoustics and that was unique for its beauty. It occurred to me that a small gothic-renaissance style church would suit her. The chosen church was Santa María la Mayor in San Vicente de Sonsierra. It is a unique church because of its rich interior and its location. It is situated on top of a hill overlooking the Ebro river from where you can see the whole valley of La Rioja.
We contacted the person in charge of the church and asked to reserve it for us for a while.
After seeing the final result I can’t think of a better place for this purpose. Of course the client was delighted with the place and its acoustics. It exceeded all her expectations.
After visiting a number of other places of interest we stopped for lunch at a typical restaurant in the area.

 

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French Basque markets

In this tour besides enjoying the beauty of the French Basque coast we will also enjoy its gastronomy. We will focus on the gastronomy offered by the traditional French markets. In these markets you can find from the typical cheeses of the region to fresh oysters brought from the neighboring bay of Arcachon. Truffles, fish and wine are also very appreciated. White wines from the French Basque area and red wines from the Bourdeaux region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We will visit the traditional markets of Saint Jean de Luz and Biarritz. These markets are located in the historical center of the city and are a meeting place for its inhabitants. They are small typical markets where each stand has its specialty. In some of this stands you can choose the products and eat them right there. If you like seafood there is nothing better than some fresh oysters accompained with white wine. For those who are not fans of the raw oysters  they can choose a different seafood or simply taste some of the local products that are not raw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to the markets, there is a wide range of typical French restaurants and if you know where to sit and eat you can enjoy excellent quality French food at a very good price.

Besides all this gastronomic offer in this tour you will have the opportunity to enjoy the landscapes and the environment of the French Basque Country. It is without a doubt a complete experience.

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Basque Country video

Top tours San Sebastian 2022

In this video we can see some of the most special and unique places in the Basque Country. Some scenes have been shot in San Sebastian, also Bayonne in the French Basque Country, La Rioja and more.

 

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Quails of La Nicolasa

This is a recipe that first appeared in the recipe book of “La Nicolasa” in the 1920s. La Nicolasa was a cheff who had a restaurant in San Sebastian named after her. At home this book edited in the 1920’s is like a bible. It is a bit broken and out of its time but the content is very valuable. We can think of it as one of the pillars of Basque haute cuisine as some of the recipes are still valid today. Above all you can find recipes for traditional fish such as cod, sea bass, seafood and game meats such as quail, partridge, pheasant and deer. It is a very illustrative book about the origins of Basque cuisine.

Quails in Spanish sauce

The Spanish sauce is an onion-based sauce so we will need 1 onion for every 2 quails. 2 tablespoons of olive oil for each quail. 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar for each quail. 1 glass of white and red wine (50/50) per each quail. We will also add spices such as a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary, black pepper, a sprig of parsley, a bay leaf (it is important to remove the bay leaf before crushing the sauce) and 1 clove per quail.

Cut the onion into more or less thick rings and place in a deep pot with the rest of the ingredients.

Season the outside and inside of the quails with salt and pepper and place on top of the casserole dish. Then cover the top of the casserole. Start to cook over low heat and the quails will cook with the aromatic vapors of the sauce. Let it cook over low heat. Always in the upper part of the casserole without submerging or mixing with the onions. After 1 hour they are usually ready to be removed to a plate. You can check by pulling one of the thighs. If it is tender and can be released, they are ready.

When we remove the quails to a plate we continue cooking the sauce over low heat. It can be another 3 hours until the sauce is reduced and takes a brown tone.

When the sauce is ready we remove the bay leaf and grind it. After passing the sauce we add the quails and let them rest in the sauce. It is best to leave them like this all night to eat them the next day.

Enjoy it!

 

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Chateau Abbadie

Location of Chateau Abbadie

This 19th century neo-gothic chateau is located in Hendaye, in the French Basque Country. It is only 4 km from the Spanish border and it is very well located facing the sea with views over the French coast, the Spanish coast and the Pyrenees. The view over Larrhune mountain that rises imposingly towards the sky is outstanding. The estate on which the chateau is located is very well kept and maintains for grazing animals such as sheep and horses. The entire estate is located within the natural park of the corniche and today is a public domain property belonging to the municipality of Hendaye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Antoine Abbadie

The history of the Chateau Abbadie is very curious, as is its architecture in facade and interior design. Antoine d’Abadie was a geographer, ethnologist and man of science in the 19th century who commissioned this work to the architect Viollet Le Duc in 1864. Antoine d’Abadie was a passionate scientist and explorer, he was the first to map Ethiopia where he stayed for 11 years. He was also interested in astrology, celestial cartography and the sources of the Nile. In 1892 he became president of the French Academy of Sciences. The interior of the palace houses an astronomical observatory that functioned until 1979 and has mapped up to half million stars, at his death Antoine Abbadia donated his castle to the Academy of Sciences. He was also a scholar and patron of the Basque language since his father was Basque and went down in history as “euskaldunen aita” the basque father.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arquitecture

It is an observatory castle in Gothic style, comprises three parts: the library, the observatory and the chapel. The building is out of the ordinary, its facades are decorated with wild animals such as elephants, snakes, crocodiles and other exotic animals that Antoine discovered in his travels. It is a medieval building that combines oriental and arabic architectural details.

It is definitely a place worth visiting. The truth is that it is a pleasure to walk through its gardens facing the sea and admire the wonderful figures that decorate the building.

 

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