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Sweden comes to Basque Country!

Journalists from Sweden!

When some journalists from Sweden call to say there are coming to the Basque Country, we were all ears!

Pintxo tour around Bilbao they said… I was all theirs for the whole afternoon!

 

This is their wonderful write up in full with a few pics added in that they took at the bottom. You can click on this link for the original or read the text here translated (via google) into English

www.expressen.se/allt-om-resor/resmal/europa/bilbao-en-vacker-och-valsmakande-weekendstad/

  • BASQUE EXPERIENCES SWEDEN

Article in English

Bilbao is a city full of exciting architecture, avant-garde art, the spectacular Guggenheim museum and tables filled with good pintxos.

The white sands of the Bay of Biscay can be reached by subway, and an hour away is the basilica gourmet city of San Sebastian.

new direct flight has recently started to Bilbao, making it easy to get there! Norwegian Airlines Site

Guggenheim

The first thing looking for a short bus ride from the airport into the city is Guggenheim Bilbao’s spectacular architecture. The museum is located on the river Nervión and changes in different colors depending on the light and the time. This unconventional building of concrete, glass and panels of titanium in round shapes opened in 1997, and was designed by architect Frank Gehry. The shapes resemble a ship and is a tribute to the port of Bilbao. Walking around all the glass corridors among the temporary and permanent exhibitions is a pure delight for the eye. For many years, artist Richard Serra has worked on the exhibition “The matter of time” where giant weathered pieces of piece in beautiful round spiral forms symbolize Bilbao’s industrial history with shipbuilding and iron and steel materials.

The Guggenheim Foundation had a large art collection and sought a local in Europe while Bilbao underwent an industrial recession in the late 80’s, informs Egi at Guggenheim Bilbao.

Guggenheim celebrates Bilbao

By the river, just outside the Guggenheim Museum, Louise Bourgeois’s big spider “Maman” in bronze, as well as Jeff Koon’s irresistible shiny tulips in bright colors. In front of the entrance to the museum a large flower-spotted terrier guarded in freshly planted flowers of different colors. It is the artist Jeff Koon’s “Puppy” artwork from 1992, which was initially meant to be a temporary artwork.

Puppy became so popular that people wanted to keep the dog permanently and the city bought the artwork. Twice a year the flowers are replaced, says the wizard Erik Sadler from Basque Experiences.

Guided tour of the city’s best pintxos

In Bilbao you never have to be hungry, and at all bars you will enjoy good pintxos (small Basque tapas served on a roasted bread). In order to find the best pintxos bars in Bilbao, it is worthwhile to go for a guided walk through the city.

Local residents eat pintxos at lunch, and only tourists eating pintxos in the evening. The idea is to buy a pintxos and a glass before moving on to the next bar. During the weekends, I and my friends make a pintxos round where everyone puts money in a common pot, says Erik Sadler who arranges guided pintxo trips in Bilbao.

We start by trying one of the most famous Basque’s pintxos, “Gilda” with green olives, green chili,  and anchovies.

Gilda is a hot, salty and green pintxos who has been named after Hollywood star Rita Hayworth after her role in the movie with the same name. Gilda fits really well with the Basque young white wine, Txakoli, to be served ice cold, says Erik Sadler and we really agree.

The next bar does not even have a sign outside and is run by the lovely sisters Marian and Ione Vallejo. It is a really traditional bar where the sisters serve pintxos with tuna, anchovies and hot red and green peppers. The wine is old-fashioned from a porron with a long glass pipe. We continue across the bridge to the old part of the city, Casco Viejo with a lot of atmosphere among the pedestrian cobbled streets. Around the Plaza Nueva square are many popular pintxos bars side by side, and the evening ends at a bar that serves a dry and good cider.

Beach and surfing in Plentzia

The next day we take the subway to the white sandy beaches of Plentzi, located in a beautiful bay. Plentzia is a nice little small town with a church and the former town hall, which now houses a museum of the city’s history. From the subway there is a walkway along the river, and past the harbor to the wide sandy beach where the schoolchildren practice surfing in the waves of the Bay of Biscay. On the way back, we stop at a restaurant near the river to have a three-day dinner in the sun before it’s time to go back to the big city.

 

So all you Sweden foodies and Scandinavians who are thinking of coming on the new flight.. Give me a call!!

 

Thanks goes to Helene Lundgren res@expressen.se

All pics copyright H Lundgren as well 🙂

 

Eneko – Michelin Star Restaurant

Eneko Restaurant

Hidden away up in the hills close to Bilbao sits a restaurant that has been gaining international acclaim. The Azurmendi is a Three Michelin Star restaurant that was named as 38th best restaurant in the Worlds’ 50 Best awards in 2017  However, it has a little brother, called Eneko

This off-shoot has been created by the Azurmendi’s main chef and owner, Eneko Atxa with the intention of making the restaurant more accesible. A holder of one Michelin Star by itself, the menu is focused on local provenance.

We at Basque Experiences were delighted to be invited in early March to sample the magnificent dishes…  The visit also included a tour and tastings of txakoli wines produced at their own Bodega!

Menu

Local produce is fundamental here and the principle runs through the Menu. Wines were their own; Gorka Izagirre, G22, 42, and Arima as well as a Campillo from Rioja Alavesa. Seven courses of which some of which you can see n the photos! Can you guess what was used though? The variety of methods, ingredients and presentation was great, and everything was delicious!! I had a couple of favourites but I am not going to give the game away… You will have to come with us and try or let us reserve a table for you and your group…

Pizarro

Talking groups, we have our Pizarro ‘Basque’ Gastronomy Tour in late 2018. For our final day with Jose Pizarro we will be visiting the Azurmendi Restaurant and kitchens, a unique chance to dine and discover this superb restaurant!

  • Basque Hake
  • Egg.... and peppers and corn....
  • Foie or Chestnut
  • Olives
  • Rich beef
  • Eneko's Team
  • Eneko restaurant
  • Dessert

A Wine Tour from Bordeaux to Bilbao

New Wine Tour….

Bordeaux to Bilbao! That was the idea we came up with back in spring 2016, for some clients who visited us in 2015 on a private wine tour from Bilbao to Barcelona! They loved it so much we agreed to create a new tour for them. This time to take in the SW of France, the world’s most famous wine producing region along with the French Basque Country and the wines and gastronomy of the Spanish Basque Country…

 

Chateau and Cite du Vin

Bordeaux is the city of wine par excellence. Historic, traditional yet modern, regenerated and home to truly spectacular wines. The Cite du Vin, family owned Chateau Lamothe du Haux and the magnificent Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte all combined with our own excellent private guide. Visits to the charming and stunning St Emilion, fine dining in superb restaurants. Not a bad way to start the tour…

Biarritz and San Sebastian

The French Basque Country is sometimes passed by… It’s more recognised neighbour, San Sebastian gets the limelight these days. But Biarritz with its aristocratic past, belle-epoque architecture beautiful beach and elegant residents means a visit is always a must. Lunch at a riverside restaurant in Bayonne was followed by a visit to a D.O. Espelette red pepper farm before heading to San Sebastian for what was a long yet fascinating day. The Hotel Villa Soro certainly makes up for it though!! Visits to Getaria to learn and sample our indigenous Txakoli wine before an evening experiencing the Sagardotegi… The Basque Cider House!

Urdaibai and Bilbao

Ernest Hemingway was a frequent visitor to the Basque Country, writing, making friends and generally enjoying the finer things in life that we have to offer here! There is no better way to learn about his exploits than taking a slow boat along the Oka River in the stunning Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. Sampling local cheeses and preserves, tasting local Txakoli and sing sea-shanties and whaler’s songs is a great way to spend a day before heading into Bilbao and the chic Hotel Miro

Our week of wine and Basque Culture was rounded off with visits to two superb wine-makers. Torre de Oña in Laguardia and the stunningly located Bodega Contino. Here our farewell visit was rounded off with a delicious lunch… The swaying trees provided the shade as as a warm breeze blew through the vines…

 

Txakoli Tours in the green Basque Country

Txakoli Tours in May…..

May is one of my favourite months here in the Basque Country. Long days, a mix of sunshine and showers, and the rolling hills and villages are bursting with spring energy! These elements add up to form a perfect excuse to visit some of our marvellous grape-growers , juice-magicians and and partake in your own , private, made-to-measure Txakoli Tours…

The Basque Country’s own wine.

Our green land and climate, so influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, is somehow ‘bottled’ by alchemists across Euskadi.  Txakoli is a fresh, minerally and sometimes almost herby, slightly acidic wine, unique to this corner of the world. Our grapes, small, and hardy, are carefully hand picked in 3 distinct zones to produce this most Basque of tipples. Hidden from the outside world for years we, Txakoli is finally appearing on some of the world’s finest tables…

Discover with us

May is a very busy time for us here at Basque Experiences and over the last 2 weeks we have been busy guiding and organising various different Txakoli Tours. All made-to-measure by listening to the client and then applying our experience and knowledge to create a personalised private tour. There are family-run business, small producers, pioneers, and Michelin starred restaurants all producing this delicious wine…. When are you coming to discover our Txakoli??

  • Basque Experiences Txakoli

    Basque Experiences Txakoli

    Basque Experiences Txakoli
  • Private Group Tours - Basque Experiences
  • Basque Experiences Txakoli

    Basque Experiences Txakoli

    Basque Experiences Txakoli
  • Basque Txakoli Tours

    Txakoli Tours in Basque Country

    Basque Experiences Txakoli

Basque Country Food. Where is it from ? pt. 2


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Food…thats it!

Where does our amazing produce come from and how do we use this great resource. Part 2 of our quick look at Basque Country food, produce and gastronomy with the chef José Pizarro, owner of 4 restaurants in London.

Alava, Inland Basque Country

Sometimes overlooked by visitors keen to see Bilbao and San Sebastian, Alava is the 3rd province of Euskadi, Basque Country and is completely landlocked. This is wine country, and many visitors come to learn and sample our famous Rioja Alavesa wine However, it holds many surprises as Jose found out!

Salt Cheese and Txakoli

Hidden in the green valleys lies a geological gem, millions of years old but very relevant today. The Salt Pans of Añana are marvellous. A fountain (or 3) of saline liquid, used over millenia to cure, store and flavour the Basque peoples food. Today we can visit and learn about this amazing place but also taste it in our own Denominacion de Origen Idiazabal Cheese. We visited our good friend Leire who is the only producer of this most Basque of Basque cheeses who uses this salt in the production of her award winning cheeses. The surprise here though is its not only Idiazabal that one tries… 🙂

Close by and another good friend sees us visit BarraskiBide, a farm producing organic snails, a popular dish all over Spain and especially those who are fond of Biscayan Sauce…. Nestled under the Sierra Salvada mountain range, the snails are well guarded so they don’t escape….

And what would one choose to wash these delicious products down with? Well our own Txakoli Arabako. The third region with the D.O. to produce Txakoli wine in the Basque Country. Our friends at Astobiza and Beldui are perfect hosts and enable Jose to learn taste and discuss the amazing advances this wine has experienced since it became regulated in the 1980’s.

Sleeping it off….

After all these foodie gastronomic exertions, sometimes there is nothing better than a siesta… However, when staying with us here at Basque Experiences we have our own favourite places, and top of the list in Bilbao is the great Hotel Miro. Opposite the iconic Guggenheim Bilbao, the service is what you would expect from a small privately -run hotel. It never fails!!

Just a short blog extolling some of our food highlights here in the Basque Country with Basque Experiences. But keep your eyes open for a foodie surprise in the coming weeks…..