Basque Fact of the Week, Sports

Basque Fact of the Week: The Basque Derby

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Rivalries in sports transcend the games themselves. The Yankees and Red Socks. Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Celtics and Lakers. The Huskies and Cougars. They become part of the local identity, and beating your rival is almost more important than winning the championship. In the Basque Country, one of the biggest rivalries is between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, a rivalry called the Basque Derby, or Euskal Derbia. They met again yesterday, January 14. Real won the match 3-1.

A match in 1976 where both teams paraded on the field holding the ikurrina. Photo from Wikipedia.
  • Athletic Bilbao and a soccer team from Donostia – not yet christened Real Sociedad – first met in in 1909. At the time, the team from Donostia was the San Sebastián Foot-Ball Club but was actually attached to a cycling club for administrative reasons. That first meeting was won by Donostia, 4-2. They were supposed to play in 1905, but Bilbao backed out of a so-called dead rubber meaningless runner-up match.
  • Since that time, Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad have met a total of 171 times in major competitions (as of February 2022), 150 times in La Liga (Tier 1) and another 21 times during the Copa del Rey tournament. Bilbao has the edge, winning 69 of those games to Real’s 57. There have been 45 draws. The two clubs have met another 16 times in smaller or now-defunct events.
  • In 2020, for the first time in their 100+ year history, the two clubs qualified for the Copa del Rey finals. COVID threw things in disarray and the final was delayed by about a year. In the end, Real won the final 1-0 on a goal by Mikel Oyarzabal.
  • The phrase Basque derby is also used when other teams in Hegoalde play, including CA Osasuna, Deportivo Alavés, and SD Eibar. However, given that these other teams haven’t been staples of Tier 1 in La Liga, these derbies don’t hold quite the same gravitas. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been memorable matches involving these teams, such as in 2008 when Alavés scored 2 late goals to beat Real, both keeping Real from being promoted to Tier 1 and Alavés from being demoted to Tier 3.
  • Since 2006, the women’s teams of both Athletic and Real have played in the first division of Liga F. They have met 50 times, including in Liga F, the Copa del Reina, and the Basque Country Cup, with Bilbao winning the series 32 and Real winning 9, with 9 draws.
  • Since 2016, inspired by a similar event held for the women’s clubs, the men’s soccer teams have competed in the Euskal Herriko Futbol Txapelketa, a friendly (it doesn’t count toward standings) match to crown the best team in the Basque Country. The two Basque teams with the best record in the previous year against other Basque teams meet in this match. There have been six such matches played, with Athletic Bilbao winning twice, Eibar, Real and Osasuna winning once each, and the other, between Athletic and Alavés, ending in a draw (when the referee walked off the field due to fighting between players).
  • While of course the Basque Derby is a rivalry, the teams have used the occasion to show solidarity with larger issues in the Basque Country. For example, in 1976 just after Franco died, the two teams came on the pitch, led by their captains carrying together the ikurrina. They have also showed joint support for an official Basque Country national team.

Primary source: Basque derby, Wikipedia

Adventures of Maite and Kepa, Buber's Basque Story

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 135

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“So…” began Maite, her cortado in hand as she looked across the small table at Kepa. They had met at the Herriko Taberna and found a spot outside on the plaza, far enough from the rest of the patrons so that they wouldn’t be overheard. “What now?”

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!

Kepa looked nervously into his own cup, the swirls of brown espresso mixing with the creamy milk. For a moment, he hoped that if he stared hard enough at his coffee, he might find answers. But, nothing came. He sighed.

“All I know for sure,” he said, looking across at Maite, sweat upon his brow, “is that I want to be with you. Beyond that, I have no idea.”

Maite smiled at him. “That’s enough for me.”

“Do you know where you will go to school?” asked Kepa.

“I’m thinking Donostia. They have a good physics program there. What do you say? Do you want to move to Donostia with me?”

Surprisingly, given how close the city was, Kepa had only visited a handful of times in his life. He remembered the beaches, and the multitude of people in their swimsuits. He remembered the Parte Vieja and the rows upon rows of bars with the most wonderful pintxos. He wasn’t used to such a big city, but what he remembered was overall positive.

“I think I could do that,” he said. “I’d need to visit ama often…”

“As would I, visit my parents I mean,” interjected Maite.

Kepa smiled. “Ok then. Let’s do it.”

“What about the zatiak?” asked Maite.

“What do you mean?” asked Kepa.

“I mean, do we try to search them out, or do we just let things happen haphazardly like we’ve been doing?”

“You want a more systematic approach, I assume?”

“Well,” began Maite, “if we are going to make any real progress, I just think we need some kind of plan.”

“How are we supposed to do that? We don’t know anything about where, or when, the zatiak ended up.”

“No,” said Maite with a mischievous grin, “but I know have this supercomputer in my head to help us figure it out, to look for any patterns.”

As she spoke, Maite felt a grumbling in the back of her head. She almost thought that Garuna snorted mockingly at her. But then it settled down.

“Can you control it like that?” asked Kepa. “Will it do what you want it to?”

Maite shrugged. “I don’t know, but there is only one way to know.” For no real reason, she sat up a little straighter. Her voice became a little more formal. “Garuna,” she said in a somewhat demanding tone, “will you help us find the zatiak?”

“Is that how you talk to it?” asked Kepa. “Out loud like that?”

Maite giggled as she shook her head. “No, I can talk to it in my head, but I wanted you to hear at least one side of the conversation.”

Maite felt Garuna rumble again. “Why?” was all it asked.

Looking at Kepa with her shoulders hunched a bit and in her regular voice, almost a whisper, Maite said “It asked why.” Again sitting up, she replied “Because, we need to prevent de Lancre from collecting them.”

“Why?” came the reply in her mind.

Maite sighed. “It asked why again. I swear, it’s like talking to a toddler. Ahem,” began Maite, again reverting to her formal mode before Kepa interrupted.

“Can it hear me, if I’m speaking?” 

“Yes,” replied Garuna in Maite’s head. 

“Yes,” Maite whispered back to Kepa.

“Well, then,” continued Kepa, “if de Lancre recovers the majority of the zatiak, he will gain untold power and reshape the world into his own twisted vision. You came from the future, you know our history. Does it ever turn out well when any one person can shape things at that scale, much less one who has bad intentions like de Lancre?”

There was silence. Eventually, Maite heard an “Ez” echo in her head.

Maite, looking at Kepa, shook her head.

“Exactly,” replied Kepa. “We can’t allow a madman like de Lancre have free reign over the rest of humanity. Who knows what he will do, but I would guess he reshapes his own time to reflect his deepest desires, and that will ripple throughout the timeline.”

“But,” repeated Maite as Garuna spoke in her head, “it would simply be a bubble, which could eventually be burst.”

Kepa shrugged. “Maybe, but if he has that much power…” Kepa looked deep into Maite’s eyes, trying to find Garuna in there somewhere, “maybe he could make the bubble permanent, and pop the rest of the timeline.”

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.

Basque Fact of the Week, Diaspora, People

Basque Fact of the Week: Robert Laxalt, the Voice of the American Basques

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“My father was a sheepherder, and his home was the hills.” The opening to Robert Laxalt’s Sweet Promised Land resonates with so many of us, capturing not only the sheepherder life of his own father, but the experience of many Basque immigrants who made new homes in the American West. I discovered Laxalt’s books when I was in college and they spoke to me; they gave voice to some of the cultural context I didn’t quite realize I was missing.

Robert Laxalt. Photo from the Reno Gazette Journal.
  • Laxalt was born on September 25, 1923, in Alturas, California. His parents, Dominique Laxalt and Theresa Laxalt (nee Alpetche), were both from the Basque Country. Dominique was from Zuberoa and Theresa from Nafarroa Beherea. Dominique had immigrated in 1904 to the United States, becoming a sheepherder while Theresa, arriving in 1920, ultimately managed the French Hotel in Carson City, Nevada.
  • After high school, Laxalt attended Santa Clara University. He left school to enroll in the military, serving in the Belgian Congo, where he contracted multiple illnesses that almost led to his death. Upon his return to the United States, he enrolled in the University of Nevada, Reno, where he began his pursuit of literature. When he graduated, he began working for the United Press International. He married Joyce Nielsen in 1949 and together they had three children.
  • In 1951, he accompanied his father Dominique on a visit to his home in Zuberoa, the first time Dominique had returned since immigrating. It was a life-changing experience for Robert, leading to his 1957 novel Sweet Promised Land which told the story of his dad and, in some way, every Basque-American sheepherder. It is by far his most famous work of the more than dozen books he wrote. Many of his novels are semi-biographical, based on his family and documenting the life of the Basque sheepherder in the American west.
  • Perhaps my favorite of Laxalt’s novels is A Man in the Wheatfield, which, as described by David Rio, explores the nature of evil and how the perception of evil often arises from our own fears. In all, Laxalt wrote seventeen books. I’ve been lucky enough to find a few signed editions in used books stores.
  • Robert’s impact on Basque-American culture extended beyond his books. In 1961 he founded the University of Nevada Press, which still publishes many books related to Basque culture. In 1966, along with William Douglass and Jon Bilbao, he founded the Basque Studies Program at the University of Nevada, Reno.
  • Laxalt was honored for his work numerous times over his career, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize, Nevada Distinguished Author Chair at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the State of Nevada Art Commission of the Decade Award. In 1986, he received the Golden Drum from the city of Donostia.
  • Robert was the second of six children and he wasn’t the only Laxalt sibling to find success. His brother, Paul, became first Governor of Nevada and then a United States Senator, and was a good friend of Ronald Reagan.
  • Robert died on March 23, 2001, at the age of 77 in Reno.

Primary sources: Estornés Lasa, Mariano [et al.]. Laxalt Alpetche, Robert. Auñamendi Encyclopedia. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/laxalt-alpetche-robert/ar-87641/; Robert Laxalt, Wikipedia

Adventures of Maite and Kepa, Buber's Basque Story

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 134

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Maite awoke with a bit more of a resaca than she had hoped for. 

“When we were kids,” she thought to herself, “a gau pasa wouldn’t affect us at all.” She groaned as she sat up in bed. “But now…”

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!

“I will never understand the human desire to flood their delicate circuitry with chemicals that disrupt their connections,” Garuna said in the back of her head.

“Great,” Maite thought. “Now I have critical commentary in my head.”

She shook it off and went to the bathroom. She could hear some puttering in the kitchen and looked forward to seeing her parents. While for them it had only been a couple of weeks, for her it seemed like an eternity.

Sure enough, she found her aita in the kitchen, ready with a cup of coffee which he handed to her. 

“Egun on!” he said cheerfully.

“Egun on,” groaned Maite, giving her aita a kiss on the cheek. She glanced around, scanning the living room. “Where is ama?”

“She went out to buy groceries. She should be back any moment.”

Almost as if on cue, Maite heard the front door click open. A moment later, her ama appeared in the living room, clutching a few bags in each hand.

“Egun on!” Rosario always had a cheerful disposition and, as opposed to her daughter, never looked like she had just gotten up. She always seemed put together and freshly awake. Her aita had a similar demeanor. Sometimes, Maite wondered if she must have been adopted, or swapped at birth.

“Egun on, ama,” replied Maite, giving her ama her own kiss on the cheek before sitting at the small table in the kitchen.

“So?” asked Rosario as she handed a bag to Fulgencio and they started unpacking. “How did the interview go?”

Maite stared down at her coffee. “Fine, I guess.”

“Zer?” asked Fulgencio. “Did you not get the position?”

Maite looked up. She could see the expectation in both of her parents’ faces. She was sure if they were excited for her or terrified by the prospect of her leaving. She imagined both. 

“I mean, the interview went well. I think I did well. Baina…”

Fulgencio and Rosario paused putting away the groceries and sat next to Maite at the small table. “What is it?” asked Rosario.

“I don’t think I want to go,” replied Maite, almost in a whisper.

“I know it is a big change…” began Fulgencio.

Maite shook her head, interrupting him. “It isn’t that. I know I will do well. And it is a great opportunity. I’m not worried about there.” She looked first at her aita and then her ama. A tear fell down her cheek. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Rosario reached over and pulled her daughter close. “Oh Maite,” she said, giving Maite a hug. “And we don’t want you to go.”

Fulgencio nodded before adding. “But, this is an amazing opportunity. Are you sure? What will you do instead?”

“There is an amazing group in Donostia,” replied Maite. “Maybe not with the reputation of Berkeley, but still world class. I can do my work there.”

“Will it be the same kind of work?” asked Rosario.

Maite shrugged. “Close enough. And the people there are excellent. Most importantly, it isn’t so far from you.”

She could see the tears welling in her normally stoic aita’s eyes. “It will be good to have you close,” he said.

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.

Art, Basque Fact of the Week, Folklore

Basque Fact of the Week: Maialen Lujanbio, Bertsolari Champion

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Bertsolaritza is the art of Basque improvisational poetry. Every four years, the best bertsolaris come together to crown a champion. (It has been five years since the last competition because of, you know, COVID.) The latest edition of the championship, called the Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia, just wrapped up, with the final taking place on December 18, 2022, in Iruñea/Pamplona, Nafarroa, in front of some 13,000 spectators. At the end of the day, Maialen Lujanbio had won her third txapela. Only Andoni Egaña Makazaga has won more titles.

Maialen Lujanbio receives the applause of the finalists after winning the Bertsolaris Absolute Championship. EFE/Villar Lopez. Photo from EFE.com.
  • Maialen Lujanbio Zugazti was born on November 26, 1976 in Hernani. She was part of the first generation of school children who were exposed to and taught improvisational poetry as part of their curriculum. Even as a student, she was recognized as an outstanding bertsolari, winning numerous accolades at the local and provincial level, both individually and as part of teams.
  • She became part of the bertsolari school of Jose Mari Gabiria. She later moved to Bilbo, attending the University of the Basque Country and obtaining a degree in Fine Arts. Her career as a bertsolari took off soon after. In 2003, she became champion of Gipuzkoa. She was a finalist for the national competition in 1997 and 2005, and the runner-up in 2001 and 2013.
  • Her participation in the 1997 event was the first time a woman had competed. In 2022, for the first time two other women also joined her in the finals – Alaia Martin and Nerea Ibarzabal. When Alaia and Maialen performed together in a joint verse, it was also the first time two women competed onstage together in the history of the championship.
  • In 2009, Maialen became the first woman to win the Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia of the Basque Country, held that year in Barakaldo. She followed with wins in 2017 and, most recently, 2022, making her a three-time champion. She has appeared in 7 finals, tying Andoni Egaña Makazaga for the most.
  • In the bertsolaritza championship, each poet is given themes they must compose their poem against. Many of the themes in the 2022 finals touched on social issues, including sexual abuse, low-paying jobs, emigration, and transgender issues. Some of Maialen’s verses had these themes:
    • With Alaia: you have a shop together on the seafront. The effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent. Alaia, you want to change the location of the store; Maialen wants to stay there.
    • With Beñat Gaztelumendi: You are two friends who have gone to lunch together. Beñat has a habit of taking pictures of all the dishes before he starts to eat. Maialen, Beñat takes charge of you because you started eating before he took his picture.
    • With Sustrai Colina: You are two service managers of a hospital. You do not agree with the management of your political authorities. Sustrai suggests that you both submit your resignation together.
    • You gave each other a complicit smile.
  • Maialen has brought a new perspective to the art of bertsolaritza, with references to film and the creation of stories in her verse. In addition to her improvised verse, she has written lyrics for numerous Basque musical groups. She has also become a specialist in the transmission of Basque culture, completing a post-graduate degree on the topic in 2008.

Primary sources: Ibarluzea Santisteban, Miren. Lujanbio Zugasti, Maialen. Auñamendi Encyclopedia. Available at: https://aunamendi.eusko-ikaskuntza.eus/en/lujanbio-zugasti-maialen/ar-78042/; Maialen Lujanbio, la ‘bertsolaritza’ o el arte de improvisar reivindicaciones ante 14.000 personas, Maialen Ferreira, El Diario; Maialen Lujanbio, Wikipedia; 2022ko Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusiko finala, Wikipedia

Adventures of Maite and Kepa, Buber's Basque Story

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 133

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The rest of the evening flew by as Kepa and Maite celebrated with their friends. The town only had three bars, but they bounced from one to the next all night. It was early in the morning before they finally found their way home. Kepa drove Maite home to her parents’ apartment in Gernika before returning to his own home, the baserri he shared with his mom. He had considered asking Maite to stay over since it was so late, but decided his mom might not be ready for that quite yet.

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!

The next day started late. Kepa could hear his ama puttering around downstairs, but he simply groaned and turned over in his bed, pulling his pillow over his head. It wasn’t until early afternoon that he finally pulled himself out of bed and made his way downstairs. He found his ama in the kitchen, a cup of hot coffee waiting for him.

She smiled at him. “Have a good time?”

Kepa returned her smile. While he didn’t go out like this very often, whenever he did, his ama always just smiled at him. It always made him wonder about her younger days, what she got up to.

“How was California?” she asked. While he had stopped by after landing, he had only had time for a brief hello before rushing out.

“It was great,” replied Kepa as he savored his first sip of coffee. “Maite’s interview went very well.”

A slight frown flashed across Mari Carmen’s lips before disappearing like a ghost. “When would she leave?”

Kepa shrugged. “She isn’t sure she wants to go.” He took another sip of coffee. “You know, her parents and all.”

“They would want her to go, I’m sure.”

Kepa nodded. “Bai, but she isn’t ready to leave them.”

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean?”

“There isn’t another reason for her to stay?”

Kepa blushed. How could she possibly know?

He took a bigger sip this time, trying to delay his response as long as he could, wishing she might forget what she just asked, knowing she wouldn’t let it drop.

“Maite and I are dating,” he finally said.

Mari Carmen’s face beamed. “Azkenean! At last!” She pulled grabbed her son’s head, pulling it close and planting a kiss on his forehead. “I’m so happy for you!”

Kepa pulled back. “We are just dating, ama! Don’t expect any grandkids any time soon.”

Mari Carmen just smiled as she went back to the stove.

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.

Basque Fact of the Week, Euskara

Basque Fact of the Week: Good Birds to You!

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Happy holidays! Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Hanukkah Sameach! However you celebrate, the holidays are upon us. In Basque, it is traditional to say Gabon Zoriontsua! or Eguberri On! Sometimes you’ll hear the ubiquitous Zorionak! But where does this word, used in so many situations, come from…?

“Txori onak” to you and yours this holiday season. Photo by the Uberuaga/Van De Graaff family from the Bosque del Apache.
  • It is very clear that Zorion and Zorionak – literally many zorion – come from the compound words zori and on, and that zori, at least today, means omen or luck. So, Zorionak means “good luck” or “good fortune.” Similarly, zoritxar and zorigaitz mean “bad luck, misfortune” from zori+txar (txar=bad) or zori+gaitz (gaitz=harm). What is a little less clear is where zori comes from.
  • Larry Trask, and many other Basque linguists as well as the Euskal Hiztegi Historiko-Etimologikoa, say that zori originally meant bird. It took on the meaning of omen or luck from the practice of looking to the flight of birds as an omen, as a way to tell the future. So, Zorionak then means, in its most literal and ancient sense, “good birds.”
  • That a word for birds could shift to mean something like luck is not without parallel. Trask notes that the Latin word avicem, meaning bird, became the old Castilian auçe, meaning luck or fortune. So, other languages have also experienced this evolution in meaning.
  • There is another proposed etymology in which zori comes from the Latin sors, meaning luck. However, the recent discovery of the Hand of Irulegi, in which the word sorioneku appears, maybe puts this theory to rest (though I’m no linguist).
  • A number of other interesting words come from txori (the modern word for bird):
    • txori-negar: tree sap, or literally bird tears.
    • txoriburu: bird-brained (same as in English). It can also mean a thread that has a lump in it. Txori-lepo, or bird’s neck, also refers to an uneven thread.
    • txolarte: literally “between birds,” txolarte means free time.
    • txori-kaka: literally “bird poop,” used to refer to someone of little importance.
  • For Christmas, it is more traditional to say Eguberri on. Eguberri is another compound word meaning, literally, “new day,” so Eguberri on means “good new day.” It seems this came from marking the solstice, though I haven’t found much information about the origin of this phrase.
  • If you are curious about the birds of the Basque Country, check out txoriak.eus. They have maps of where you can find the various species that fill the Basque skies.

Primary source: Euskal Hiztegi Historiko-Etimologikoa, Euskaltzaindia

Adventures of Maite and Kepa, Buber's Basque Story

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 132

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“So,” asked Koldo as they stood around a high table in one corner of the bar, “how did the interview go? You’ve got to tell us all about it.”

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!

“Interview?” asked Maite. “Oh, right! Berkeley. It feels so long ago…”

“What do you mean?” asked Idoia, taking a sip of her gin and tonic. “It was just last week!”

Maite looked over at Kepa, a combination of a twinkle and panic in her eyes. 

Kepa sighed. “The flight back…” he began. “It was so long. So many delays, canceled flights, and bad service. California feels like forever ago.”

Maite nodded, surpressing a smile. “Bai,” she added. “I’m just so glad to be back and hanging out with you guys.”

“But what about the interview?” asked Koldo again.

“The interview went well,” replied Maite. “I mean, I haven’t heard back yet, so I don’t know if I got the position, but I think I did well.”

Koldo’s shoulders slumped a little. “When would you be leaving?”

Maite looked up at the faces around her, all looking at her expectantly. She picked up her zurito and took a sip, savoring the cold on her tongue while letting it draw out a bit longer than normal.

“I’m not sure I’m going,” she finally answered. “Even if I get it.”

“Zer?” exclaimed Itxaso. “What? How could you pass this up?”

“Well,” began Maite. She looked over at Kepa. 

A voice popped in her head. “It does not make sense to reject the offer,” echoed the deep voice of Garuna.

She scrunched her eyes. It had only been a day since they got back, and she had not gotten used to having Garuna in her head. For the most part, it was silent, but once in a while it would chime in with some commentary, almost like a second conscience. Maite had her hands full enough with her own. 

Ignoring Garuna, she turned to Itxaso. “My parents,” she began. “And you guys…” She swept her hand in a grand gesture around her. “All of this. I’m too Basque to give this all up, even for just a little while.” She looked over at Kepa. “And I would miss this guy…”

Koldo raised an eyebrow. “Did something else happen in California?” he asked.

Kepa blushed as Maite answered. “Kepa and I are dating.”

Cheers went around the table.

“About damn time!” exclaimed Koldo as he raised his glass toward the center of the table, joined in moments by everyone else.

Maite couldn’t resist, pulling Kepa in for a kiss as everyone cheered again.

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.

Basque Fact of the Week, Food

Basque Fact of the Week: Basque Desserts for Your Holiday Spread

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The holidays are upon us. Time to gather with family and friends, to take a break from all of the worries and responsibilities of work and school. And to eat! There always seem to be tables full of food everywhere we go, especially desserts! My mom always has a flan and often rice pudding on her table. In addition to the myriad of other wonderful things she makes, my wife has made natillas and the ubiquitous burnt Basque cheesecake a few times. If you are looking for something just a little different, here is a list of traditional Basque desserts, originally compiled by El Diario Vasco. What is your favorite Basque dessert?

For the record, I love most every dessert, which is a blessing and a curse. Whenever we visit the Basque Country, everyone is so full at the end of each meal that they struggle with the dessert, except for me. I always have room. And the desserts all find their way to my end of the table…

Some Basque desserts: Tejas y Cigarrillos de Tolosa (photo from Cocina Abierta), Pantxineta (photo from El Diario Vasco), San Blas cakes (photo from Bon Viveur), Pastel Vasco (photo from El Diario Vasco), and Mamia (photo from El Diario Vasco).
  • Mamia is made from raw sheep’s milk, typically in a clay jar called a kaiku. Originally, the milk would be heated directly in the jar on the fire until it coagulates. A recipe for mamia by renowned chef Martín Berasategi can be found here.
  • Talo is sort of a corn pancake, like a corn tortilla. Normally not sweet, it is typically paired with txistorra or chorizo or cheese. However, talo with chocolate – with a chocolate filling – has become popular. Reminds me of my aunt in Amorebieta who served chocolate with bread one evening for dessert!
  • Cheese with membrillo is a classic. My dad, before we could get membrillo easily (my mom now makes her own), missed this so much that he would often make jam and cheese sandwiches. Membrillo is essentially a quince jelly and is ideally paired with a Basque cheese like Idiazabal. Walnuts complete the trifecta for an ideal post-dinner treat.
  • San Blas cakes originated in Eibar, but are now common throughout the Basque Country. Typical of the festival associated with Saint Blaise on February 3, these cakes have a touch of anis. They have a harder glaze and are about the size of a cookie or donut.
  • Tejas y Cigarrillos de Tolosa – Tiles and Cigarettes of Tolosa, though maybe a better, less literal translation would be Biscuits and Roles – are small pastries from that same Gipuzkoan city which first appeared in the twelfth century. These almond-based pastries are an ideal accompaniment with coffee. I couldn’t find a recipe in English, but here is one in Spanish.
  • Can you get more Basque than a dessert called literally Basque Cake, or Pastel Vasco? Or, as it is more commonly known, Gateâu Basque. Originally from the province of Lapurdi in Iparralde, this cake can be rather dry, motivating fruit and, more recently, cream filling. However, as with any popular recipe, there are many, many variants, including some that add rum or almonds. Martín Berasategui has a recipe for this dessert as well.
  • One last dessert to highlight is Pantxineta. A dessert that arose from the Otaegeui pastry shop in Donostia in 1915, it is a puff pastry dough with almonds and filled with a secret pastry cream. To enjoy the crispy crust, it is typically eaten warm.  Casa Otaegui shares their recipe for pantxineta on their website.

Primary source: Los 8 postres vascos más típicos, El Diario Vasco.

Adventures of Maite and Kepa, Buber's Basque Story

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 131

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Maite looked around. This time, she was certainly back in her own time, standing at the end of the hallway in the airport in Bilbao. She looked out the window where she was greated by the rolling green mountains and the baserria speckling the hillsides. There were no throngs of people dressed in strange garb, nor massive skyscrapers surrounding her in every direction. She was home.

The Adventures of Maite and Kepa is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!

Kepa stood next to her, also soaking in the moment. He looked over at her and smiled. “Ongi etorri etxera,” he said.

She returned his smile. But it was immediately replaced by a frown. She hesitated a moment before whispering, “Garuna?”

A voice popped in her head, as if coming from a back corner of her mind, somewhat faint and distant. But there was no mistaking the emotionless tone that responded to her. “I am here,” it said.

Maite sighed. She had hoped that the magic of the zatia would somehow have purged Garuna from her as she traveled back in time. But, she wasn’t so lucky.

“Is it there?” asked Kepa anxiously. 

Maite nodded. “It is.”

“What do we do now?” asked Kepa.

“What do you mean? We’re home now, until the next adventure,” replied Maite.

“I mean, about Garuna. You have this massive intelligence from the future in your head. Won’t that disrupt the timeline?”

“How do you mean?” 

“Doesn’t it know things we aren’t supposed to know? How history unfolds? What discoveries are to be made? Even how to make nuclear fusion a reality?”

“I guess that is true.” Maite paused. “Garuna?” she asked. “Who created you?”

The flat voice popped back in her head. “I was created by…” The voice fell silent. “I cannot remember.”

“What did it say?” asked Kepa impatiently.

Maite held up a finger, indicating him to sush. “Garuna, what year was it that we just came back from?”

“It was…” Again, the voice was silent. “I cannot remember.”

Maite turned to Kepa. “Garuna has lost all memory of its own time.”

“Wow. Ok,” replied Kepa. “I guess that isn’t a concern, then.”

Maite nodded. “While the zatia didn’t erase Garuna from my mind, it did strip Garuna of all knowledge of the future. It will only know what it experiences from now going forward.”

“So, what now?” asked Kepa.

Maite smiled. “I could really use a nice warm bath and then a night out with friends.”

If you get this post via email, the return-to address goes no where, so please write blas@buber.net if you want to get in touch with me.