Jaialdi 2010 is just around the corner, and soon downtown Boise will be awash in a festive celebration of Basque culture and tradition. In honor of this twice-a-decade party, I thought I’d take a moment to highlight the many Basque products available at the Boise Co-op.
When I think of Basque foods, my thoughts turn immediately to chorizos and cheeses. Unsurprisingly, the Co-op is resplendent in each. Our Meat Department makes its very own Basque Chorizo from scratch every week, following traditional recipes using fresh chilies, garlic and spices to produce these rich and hearty pork sausages.
On the other side of the store there resides an amazing array of excellent Basque cheeses in the Deli. Being able to freely shave samples off the rich, smoky-sharp Ideazabel and Garrotxa cheeses is one of the perks I miss from my days of working in the Co-op Deli. I could always manage to satisfy my appetite with the exceptional sheep’s milk Manchegos and Petit Basque. Even the creamy Capitoul, closer to a French than a strictly Basque brie-like cheese, is entirely gratifying, despite my personal preference for a harder, sharper cheese.
Additionally, the Co-op carries a variety of fish primarily tuna ventresca (tuna belly), which is canned or jarred in oil according to traditional practices. This extremely juicy fish is very tasty and flaky, making it ideal for salads as well as the traditional Basque marmitako (a potato & tuna stew eaten by Basque fishermen throughout the ages). We also carry several varieties of jarred pimientos and white asparagus spears from the Basque food companies of Viter and Ortize, as well as an exceptionally robust Basque olive mix available by the pound in the Deli olive bar.
And, of course, the Co-op Wine Department features a variety of Basque wines and hard ciders, including Orvalaiz Crianza and Torreoria tentranillo Cabernets and Merlots, and the Sarrasola and Astarbe Ciders, available in meal-sized 750ml bottles!
So, step on in before you head down to Jaialdi 2010 and get a taste for Basque fare at the Co-op, an easy way to venture knowledgeably and with experience into the festivities taking place July 27th thru August 1st, primarily along the Basque block of downtown Boise.
