Small Boise store becomes ambassador of Basque gastronomy overseas

BOISE (United States). Men who measure their strength by lifting 300 kg stones, hermitages built on top of a rocky crag above the ocean, a soccer team that will only field local players or men that hit a ball against a wall with their bare hands are only some of the examples that make Basques a unique case in the world. But this is not all. Gastronomy certainly is one of those things that make the Basque Country special and the Basque Market in Boise is aware of that.

Located in the Basque block in downtown Boise, a US city known among other things for a large community of Basque heritage devoted to keeping its links with the Basque Country alive, the Basque Market is one of those places that reminds visitors of how outstanding the Basque Country and its gastronomy is.

The store, located between Bardenay and Leku-Ona and in front of the Basque center Euzkaldunak, features all kind of hard-to-find items from the Basque Country: from chorizos, croquettes or cheese to piquillo peppers, rice pudding or a wide range of red and white whines, cider and txakoli.

"I am quite happy because they have Kas in the Basque Market and I can now drink Gin Kas" Dave, a second-generation Basque told eitb.com in the presentation of Dave Boling's Guernica in the Basque block, as the Basque Market is certainly the only place in the United States where you can find this brand of soda.

Tony and Tara Eiguren, both lovers of Basque Gastronomy and regular chefs at the Euzkaldunak monthly dinners, bought the market from Dan Ansotegui three summers ago. Since then, they have been trying to make the store a social place for Boiseans and visitors to meet around Basque gastronomy.

"First thing we added the tables outside and the tables inside so that people could eat lunch. We do tapas many nights. We have tried to make it more of a meeting place, a place for people to socialize and get together rather than just run in, grab what you need and then leave", Tony and Tara say.

Multi-service market

The store is not only a specialty market, but a multi-service market as well. Apart from selling all kinds of products related to Basque gastronomy, it offers catering services, cooking classes, and organizes events in the Basque block. "I do not think that we could survive on just the market, so we have the lunches or the catering, so we are multifaceted because , I do not think any of those things alone could be sufficient", Tara recounts.

Clients for the catering business include all kind of events. "We do a lot of weddings, we do a lot of paellas, we go to the place and do the paella in the backyard, gastronomy exhibitions for people coming to Boise for conventions" Tara says. Although there are some Basque customers, people requesting their catering services or attending the cooking classes are "primarily non Basques" attracted by the Basque gastronomy, she adds.

Among all the events, the most popular tapa is the omelet and the most popular event is the cider house dinner, although you might not expect find the same thing as in a Basque cider house. "We try to bring the traditions over there here but with an American twist," Tara says.