Your first awareness of the importance of the Basque people to Idaho may be through a family-style dinner in Boise or perhaps a walk through the Basque Block. It wasn’t until I visited Boise that I realized that no US state is more associated with the Basque than Idaho.
Over a multi-course dinner at The Basque Market, I discovered the Idaho Basque people behind the hearty comfort food I was enjoying. It wasn’t quite Spanish. It wasn’t quite French, either. And there is a reason for that.
Who Are the Idaho Basque?
As I looked around The Basque Market, I saw specialty products, many from Spain, huge paella pans, and shelves of wines.
Huge paella pans and Basque food products line the wall at the Boise Basque Market. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
Behind the counter was a framed photograph of a young man, a donkey laden with supplies, and a herd of sheep. Some of the words on signs and posters were unfamiliar to me. They weren’t Spanish or French. They were Basque.
The Basque took jobs as sheepherders when they came to the United States. Photo courtesy The Basque Market
There is no specific country where Basque people live. Basque Country includes three provinces in southern France and four in northern Spain, in the Pyrenees Mountains. Three Spanish provinces form a somewhat independent community with a Basque government, although this is still part of Spain.
Most Idaho Basque are from the Spanish area of Basque Country. The first Basques came as miners in the 1880s and 1890s, but they turned to sheep herding when that didn’t work out. Thus, sheep and lamb dishes are associated with the Basque, but I found out that seafood is more typically Basque.
Idaho Basque have worked hard to preserve their culture, language, folk art, dance, and song. This is most evident in the Basque Block, a pleasant European-style square lined with trees.
The Basque Block is a cultural center with festivals and events open to the public. Photo courtesy The Basque Museum and Cultural Center
Located downtown between Capitol Boulevard and 6th Street on Grove, the Basque Block is comprised of two boarding houses (one with a unique indoor frontón ball court), the Basque Center, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, Bar Gernika, Leka Ona restaurant, and the Basque Market. The Basque Market is also a restaurant where I experienced a marvelous Basque dinner.
Experiencing an Idaho Basque Dinner
Each Friday evening, The Basque Market provides an authentic Basque dining experience. For $25, you’ll choose an appetizer, a main course, and dessert. Wine pairings and Pintxos (small plates, sometimes served with a cocktail pick) are also available for an additional charge. I’d recommend a nice Spanish wine. I chose their house red—a lush red Tempranillo—perfect for the chilly evening.
You’ll be seated at long community tables in the middle of this general store and deli. It’s a great casual and convivial atmosphere, and the smells from the kitchen add to the experience and heighten the anticipation.
The Friday night Basque Dinners at The Basque Market are popular. It’s a great way to experience Basque cuisine. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
Offerings are seasonal and mostly locally sourced. For our first course, we could choose Fried Spring Rolls, Butternut Squash Bisque, or the Basque Market Salad.
The seasonal butternut squash bisque finished with sage oil and candied pepitas was excellent for a starter. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
The main entrée choices were Beef and Pork Albondigas (meatballs), White Bean and Vegetable Stew, or Braised Chorizo Lasagna.
My dining companion chose the Braised Chorizo Lasagna with wine-braised chorizo, Basque cheeses, house-made ricotta, and butternut squash bechamel. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
Another option was the Albondigas, Spanish meatballs.
Beef and Pork Albondigas with fried polenta, roasted apples with a spicy garlic sauce… hearty and very tasty. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
For dessert, although we were quite full from our hearty meals, we were offered the Basque Market Pumpkin Flan, Chocolate Orange Torte, or the more traditional Arroz con Leche (rice pudding).
Of course, Chocolate! The chocolate orange torte was a favorite choice. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
As you dine, don’t be surprised if local Basque people come in to purchase specialized canned goods off the shelf behind you or pick up a take-out meal. Before you leave, be sure to have a look at the Basque goods for sale. Some are from the Basque Country or made by Basque families.
Distinctive pottery from the Basque Country, specialty foods, and wines were offered for sale. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
Idaho Basque Food and More
The next day, I learned more about The Basque Market on my culinary tour of Boise. We stopped in, and I was able to try some Basque Pintxos.
Sauteed peppers dashed with salt made for a delicious pintxo. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
I learned that The Basque Market hosts paella dinners and classes. So the huge pans I noticed in the shop were not just for decoration! The sheepherder photo on the wall is of the owner’s family member.
Our tour guide from Indulge Boise Food Tours gave us the back story of Basque food and the Basque family that runs the market. Photo by Elizabeth R Rose
They are a go-to Basque caterer, and they were preparing for a large event the day we were there.
When You Go to Boise
Because of the large concentration of Basque people in Idaho, particularly in Boise, you’ll have the opportunity to see cultural festivals, sample the foods of the Basque Country, and learn more about their history. I highly recommend a Basque dinner at The Basque Market.
The Basque Museum and Cultural Center in the Basque Block is a must-visit for more information on the Idaho Basque. The downtown area of Boise is very walkable, and you’ll find more historical sites and places to explore during your visit.
0 Comments