The Beauty and Tradition of Basque Country: A Journey Through Cuisine and Culture

As I drive down the winding roads of the Basque countryside, I feel a sense of excitement and wonder. The rolling hills, the lush green forests, and the sparkling rivers all seem to come alive as I make my way through this stunning landscape. My destination is the Ole Pieta family farm, where I've heard that they're keeping the ancient breed of pio negra pig from extinction.

As I arrive at the farm, I'm greeted by the sound of children's laughter and the sight of little pigs roaming freely in the fields. The family invites me to join them for lunch, and we sit down to a feast of traditional Basque cuisine. We start with a plate of cured pork, which is served alongside a side of ham. As we eat, I learn that the Ole Pieta family has been farming this land for 500 years, and they're proud of their roots.

The conversation turns to the story of how the pio negra pig breed was revived after being on the brink of extinction. The pigs have 120,000 square meters to roam, and they eat grass, acorns, and roots. I'm fascinated by the fact that the Basque people are passionate about their land and traditions, and it's clear that this is a way of life that's deeply ingrained in their culture.

As we continue our meal, I have the opportunity to hold one of the adorable piglets that were born on the farm just a few days ago. The little creature snuggles into my arms, and I feel a sense of joy and wonder at its warmth and gentle nature. The family tells me that pigs are clean animals, and it's fascinating to learn about their unique characteristics.

As we finish our meal, the family invites me to visit their pig enclosure, where I see how the pigs roam freely in the fields. One of the children, a little boy named Basque, comes over to show me around and tells me all about his love for the farm and its animals. I'm struck by the sense of wonder and curiosity that's evident in his eyes as he talks about his family's traditions and way of life.

The conversation turns to the topic of food, and we start talking about the importance of quality ingredients and traditional cooking methods. The farmer tells me that they produce super-high-quality cured pork and ham, which is a testament to their commitment to using only the best ingredients. I'm amazed by the complexity and depth of flavors in the ham, which is served alongside a side of Reineta apples that are baked to perfection.

As we finish our meal, the family invites me to join them for a walk through the countryside, where we talk about the history and culture of the Basque people. They tell me that they believe that all the North Atlantic peoples came to take shelter in the Bay of Biscay at the end of the last Ice Age, and that this has had a profound impact on their language, customs, and traditions.

The walk takes us through rolling hills and picturesque villages, where we see traditional Basque architecture and hear the sound of folk music drifting through the air. The family tells me that the Basque people are known for their love of nature and their commitment to preserving their traditions and way of life. As I look around at the stunning landscape, I'm struck by the sense of wonder and awe that's evident in every corner of this beautiful region.

As we make our way back to the farm, the farmer stops at a roadside stand and buys me some delicious-looking ham. He tells me that it's a specialty of the farm, and that it's only available for sale in local markets. I'm amazed by the quality and flavor of the ham, which is served alongside a side of mashed potatoes and Reineta apples.

As I finish my meal and prepare to leave, the family invites me to join them for a glass of wine and some conversation. We sit down at a table outside, where we talk about everything from food and drink to music and literature. The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial, and I feel like I've been welcomed into the family's home.

As I prepare to leave, one of the children comes over to say goodbye. "Don't change," he says with a smile, as if he knows that I'll never forget this experience. And as I drive away from the farm, I'm filled with a sense of wonder and gratitude for the beauty and tradition of Basque country.

As I make my way back through the winding roads, I notice that everything seems bigger, stronger, and heavier than in the city. It's as if the natural world has had a profound impact on the people who live here, and it's clear that this is a region that's deeply connected to its land and traditions.

I pull over at a roadside stand and buy some local specialties, including a kilogram of wonderful, wonderful bliss – which I later discover is simply truffle-infused cheese. "600 Euros per kilo?" I ask the vendor in amazement. He smiles and says that it's worth every penny. And as I drive away from the farm, I'm filled with a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty and tradition of Basque country.

In the end, my journey through Basque cuisine and culture has left me feeling inspired, grateful, and connected to this beautiful region. It's clear that the people who live here are passionate about their traditions and way of life, and it's a privilege to have had the chance to experience them firsthand.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWelcome to sunny Spain,welcome to sunny Spain,welcome to sunny Spain.More?Can we stop now andjust get in there andhave some fucking steak.We have come to Tolosa tovisit the restaurantCasa Julian,home to the best steakin the Basque country.The or grilling traditionis really important here,and Matias isan undisputed master.The rib of the,what's it called?Of the cow.In the Basque country,many businessesare family run andCasa Julian isno exception.Grilling is inthe blood here.He'll be the thirdgeneration ifhe doesn't end updoing something else.Hi.Look at the grill, youhave to start grilling.Look, it's the grill.He will grill delicioussteaks, with grandad.I'm hungry.You can't make mistakes,otherwise you'll ruin thechop, you'll destroy it.Now we're going tothe barbeque togrill the chop.We put the lower backfirst, because it'sthicker andtakes longer to cook, andthen we putthe upper back.You'll see there'sfatty marbling,which gives the meatmore flavor.We cover it with salt.Now we put a small cuthere in the fat soit doesn't curl up.Now we leavethem to brown.The salt drawsthe juices upwards anddoesn't let them escape,sealing them in.We'll do the sameon the other side.Then we shake them.The salt falls off andthe meat is leftperfectly seasoned.All the livestock housesin the whole of Spain inthe Basque Country wewould consume them inone month.For me right now,nothing else exists butthat piece of meat.Oh no, goodbye.I've been, kind offorced to eat fish forthe whole week.And this is the moment Ihave been waiting for.So now what?How much doesa steak cost?45 Euros per steak.Each one weighsover a kilo.Do you want the bone?Give me the whole thing,I want it all.It's really good.This is better than sex.What can I say?Mm.Mm.Can you tell themthis is normal soI don't look likea truffle pig?What I like best isseeing customers grabthe bone withtheir hands, anddevour it leaving thebone clean as a whistle.Please don't cry.Have people cried here?Yes, when theyare about to finish,just like Irene.Now that's a goodpiece of meat.Gorgeous.Thank you, good bye.Brilliant, fantastic.Fuck you cat-callers.With the Spanish rainstill beating down,we were headed to a ciderhouse in Astigarraga.The equipment was shiningnew, but the methods andexpertise dated back over400 years, passed downthrough generations ofthe Zapiain family.At this momentthe cider smells ofthe fermentationprocess a little bitlike butter or yoghurt.If it's made witha balanced apple,it will smell likepapaya or banana.If it's made withan old apple,touches of wood andrancidness.We stand out for makinga consistent product allyear round anda very aromatic cider,that's why we alwaysuse fresh apples.Cider has long beena traditional rural drinkin the Basque country,and a specialtyof Astigarraga.It was once seen as whatyou drank when you didn'thave wine, but now,through the efforts ofproducers like Zapiain,it's developinga whole new status.Egoitz's cousin Miguel,took us upstairs to showus how it all begins.The Zapiainfamily has beenmaking cider in 1595.The town we are in,Astigarraga is recognisedas the cider capitalin Gipuzkoa.Oh.Shall we gothrough the manufacturingprocess?Hm.I know shitloadsabout marketing, butnothing about apples.I can tell you, I think,the juice isin the apple.If I could find an applethat I could open.Apples can floaton water, andthat's how wetransport them.They float slowlywithout being damaged.Then they go up on thisconveyor belt where we doa selection.Boss, how do you identifythe rotten apples?They look rotten.The apple that we had asa whole piece, has nowbeen crushed and it'sperfect for doing this.This that youcan see here,is the juice that willbe converted to cider.What we do here, once theapples have been crushedand pressed, we havefour insulated deposits.We store the juice,we leave that to cooldown and then decant it.The solid particles sink,andthe liquid staysat the top.Now, try it.Then we send thatto be fermented.It's a bit likeapple juice.Completely.Delicious.Did you like it?I loved it.Sothat's justthe first step fora quality product.Come on let's go.Well, Irene, this is themain cellar of Zapiain.From January toApril every night wehave the txotx ritual.When I go txotxthe cider comes out andpeople enjoy it.Txotx!Come on.Well done.Now it tastes a bitlike leather or wood.It's halfwaybetween white wine.It's an apple wine so youcan imagine the flavour.It wasn't like ciderI'd had before.Dry, flat, and verystrong, but delicious.With the threat ofa hangover looming,we got back onthe road in search ofthe pigs that wouldbecome famous Basque ham.Pigs are like the cutestbaby animal you can,you can think of andbeing a city girl I don'thave many opportunitiesto see pigs, er, in not.In 1 Km, turn right forNacional 1.Oh, find me a cigarette,somebody, anda coffee to digest this.Turn right forNacional 1.Shut up!We are venturing intothe nearby countryside tomeet the Ole Pietafamily who are keepingthe ancient breed ofpio negra pigfrom extinction.An unbroken lineof Ole Pietas,has been farming thisland for 500 years.They are proud oftheir roots, andthe children herespeak only the localBasque language.Here I have a littlefriend roaming free.I see.A little one.22 years ago we figuredout that there werethree indigenousbreeds of Basque pig.Two of those hadgone extinct andonly one Basque breedof pig remained.And that one breed wasitself endangered.So we decided to revivethis breed which was onthe brink of extinction.The pigs have 120,000square meters to roam.They eat grass,acorns, roots.For 20 months I thinkit's a life worth living.Basque, Joannes,what are you doing?Well then,look how cute the arewhen they're small.It's a gift we receiveabout every 112 days.I'm over joyedhere because I amabout to touch andhold piglets.Let's see if we picka chilled-out piglet, ora nervous one.This one seemspretty calm so far.How do I hold it?Just as you would a baby.Mm-hm.There.Oh, it's so warm and so-It's really warm.Oh, I wish Icould keep him,I want to keephim forever.Is this what it feelslike to have a baby?Maybe I want babies now?It seems unbelievable,butanother characteristicof pigs isthat they're the cleanestdomestic animal.It's an animalthat will never doits bowel movements.He's managed tobring the pigs over.It fell asleep, Irene!And you've had it forsome time now.There you go.He doesn't wantto leave you.Mum, what gorgeouskids you have!The aren't just farmers.They produce super highquality cured pork andham.And while I love piglets,I just love bacon more.Now this is ham!If anyone wantsto improveon this they betterstart working on it now.Can you cut some ofthis bit for me oris that notthe done thing?Why there?I likethe meat that'sa bit firmer.That's the part of theham I like the most too,but the juicier one,the most flavoursomecut is that one there.I have to confess I'mfighting against myown natural instincts,because I'm a bit ofa raccoon and I like to.Today you have to wait.Yeah.One, not really respectsuntil the plate is fulland we can dive intoour magnificent meat.Are you ready?The best Ham.Ham.HamThank youYou guys out there,you don't know w hatyou are missing.Let's see that hand.Bon Appetit.There is a mysteryhidden in the fog inthese valleys, right?It's said that all theNorth Atlantic peoplescame to take shelterin the Bay of Biscay.At the end of the Ice Agethey began to emerge, andspread further andfurther out.So the whole worlddescends fromthe Basque people.I can't really tell youif it's true or not,but if the Basque peopleare the most ancient inIndo-Europe, maybethere's some truth in it.So with the tendernessof the slow cook, andthe action of the grillit's spectacular.So with the tendernessof the slow cook, andthe action of the grillit's spectacular.Then we garnish itwith mashed potato,we bake some Reinetaapples we grow ourselves,and make a pureewith those.You know, owing tothe Basque fame thateverything is bigger,stronger and heavier.This is the bacon.Not right.This is too much.Thank you guys.Until next time.Thank you very much.You're such a happy kid,don't change, okay?What a lovely family.If you're a city kidyou'll, you'll grow up ina flat, you know, your,your gonna spend yourlife in elevators andgoing up and down stairs.Where as these kidshave acres and acres ofmystical nature to growfrom, and that must bean amazing experience to,to have as, as a kid.I think the Basque peopleare in love with theirland and traditions.5 bucks fora kilogram of wonderful,wonderful bliss.This stuff you can'tfind in the city.You can't,you simply can't.600 Euros per kilo?Yes.That's why you need toput the truffleon the plate.This wine is shit hot.\n"