Sipping on the dock of the bay

Sitting in the evening sun, watching the boats come and go. Hard to beat the calm ambience at Hendaye's Cabane du Pecheur, perhaps our favourite local restaurant over the past 4 weeks.

Add in a nicely chilled glass of Jurancon Sec and some great fish dishes and you'll see what keeps us coming back for more. Good friendly service also helps.

Last night's starter on the slate was quite substantial and very tasty and cost €8.50

Starter: Serrano, Chorizo and saucisson

   

Thon Rouge

 There is always at least one special (a "suggestion du moment"). I thoroughly enjoyed my red tuna (above), served with green peppers and jus de viande. It was cooked to perfection, moist and juicy and with great veg. And much the same could be said about CL's cod (below), served also with peppers and petit pois. Each cost €19.00.

Chabillaud (fresh cod)

The dessert was a repeat: Le Cafe Gourmand, consisting of an expresso, Gateau Basque and macaron. Details here.

Watch out for the next treat, a terrific lunch at Bilbao's Michelin starred Nerua, situated in the famous Guggenheim Museum.

Ballymaloe's Riesling Revolution: The Video.

Watch the video produced from the Riesling Revolution evening at Ballymaloe in Cork.
Please feel free to send it far and wide, let people know what a great, and unique, night we had. Click here to see the video. 

Billy Goat Beer and Paddle Surfing!

Basque beer, Paddle Surfing and Camino Town

June 19th, Tuesday

The rains came down today for a couple of hours around lunchtime but, by then, I was safely in the dry though not on the dry! 

My refuge was the craft brewery Akerbeltz. They were so busy brewing the stuff in their Ascain facility that they didn’t even notice us come in. Soon though we got a warm welcome, then enjoyed a couple of tastings and left with packs of their main three beers. All good.

By the time, we got back to Hendaye, the rain was pretty heavy and the Corniche Basque didn’t look at all pretty, though the surfers seemed to be enjoying it. But, within an hour, the sun was shining strongly, and we were on the beach and so too were the surfers, including several groups of learners. 

The day had started with a trip to the inland Basque town of Ainhoa, not entirely dissimilar from yesterday’s town of La Bastide-Clairence. Ainhoa, classified as one of France’s prettiest villages, was built in the Middle Ages to provide a stopover for pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostella.

 There has been much re-building since but still the three basic elements of any Basque town – the town-hall, the pictured church and the fronton (where they play pelota) - remain.


An inscription on a house built in 1662 (the Spanish more or less destroyed the place in 1629) commemoratives the fact the money from relatives in America funded the restoration, not an unusual story apparently. The oldest parts of the church date from the 14th century and it too has the tiers of wooden galleries typical of Basque churches.

More pics here

The West's A-Bake! Chef on West Cork island.

THE FIREHOUSE BAKERY OPENS ITS OVEN DOORS TO BUDDING BAKERS



A brand new bread experience is about to burst onto the Irish culinary scene.  The Firehouse Bakery & Bread School opens its doors and fires up its ovens on today.  Perfectly situated on beautiful Heir island, off West Cork and run by TV chef and author, Patrick Ryan, The Firehouse will offer one day bread making courses designed to take the fear out of bread making and return the staple to its rightful place as King of the table.

Chef and baker Patrick, co-author of Bread Revolution and star of BBC2’s Big Bread Experiment will expertly guide baking lovers through the bread making journey, dispelling myths along the way.  “All too often I hear people tell me how terrified they are of making bread,” says Patrick.  “Our courses at The Firehouse will show bakers just how easy it is to make wholesome, delicious bread, savouries and sweet treats in the comfort of their own kitchens so they’ll never need to buy awful pre-sliced mass manufactured bread ever again.”

The one day courses at the Firehouse are very hands on – Patrick advises newcomers to roll up their sleeves and “prepare to get floured!”  By the end of the day bakers will have produced authentic soda bread in a wood fired clay oven, knocked back dough, created windowpane effects, seen yeasted loaves rise and tasted both savoury and sweat treats.  He may even share his secrets for the perfect sourdough!  All this with the beautiful Roaringwater Bay as a back drop.

So, whether you’re a novice or more experienced baker, courses at The Firehouse Bakery & Bread School will introduce you to artisan baking methods and crafts to ensure your split tins, cob loaves, pizzas, flat breads, focaccia and cinnamon swirls are perfect every time.

www.thefirehouse.ie

facebook: Firehouse Bakery

Twitter:  @firehousebread



Patrick has spent the last three years establishing the Thoughtful Bread Company as an award-winning bakery in the south west of England, near Bath.  He is now returning home, to his roots, so he can share his passion for good food and great bread.

·         Courses start at 10.30am and finish at 5.30pm
·         Courses cost E100 per person
·         Cost includes :
Ø  Return ferry to Heir Island
Ø  Full day hands on baking experience
Ø  Lunch with wine
Ø  An artisan bakers’ goodie bag to take home

Cyrano author’s villa and one of France’s prettiest villages

Cyrano author’s villa and one of France’s prettiest villages

 Always a pleasure to visit one of France’s prettiest villages. There are quite a few, but it is the Basque dimensions that distinguishes La Bastide-Clairence. It dates back to the Middle Ages and owes much of it current well-being to a determined mayor and the work of a dozen craftspeople, often the saviours of small places like this.

The centre has been recently renovated. We enjoyed our walk up and down through the typically Basque houses and a purchase or two from the artisans (macarons to die for!)  but it was the 14th century church (Notre-Dame) that really caught my eye, two features in particular: the three tiers of galleries within and the many graves sheltered by “lean-tos” on both sides of the length.  Almost an indoor grave!

Cambo les Bains is another pretty town, renowned in the 19th century for the health giving properties of its two thermal hot water springs and later for Arnaga, the house of Edmond Rostand, the author of Cyrano de Bergerac.

 Aside from the twenty or so preserved rooms of the villa, built in the Basque style one hundred years ago, and the relating of the privileged life-style lived therein (Sarah Bernhardt stayed there often), there are gardens front and rear.

 The front gardens are in the fascinating formal French style with flowers, water features and symmetry the order of the day. At the rear, it is the turn of the freestyle English garden, no boundaries, just space for the well heeled to lose himself in nature.

True nature, of course, was also at the other side of the road but who knows what ruffian you might come across there. Now it is that poacher who has turned gamekeeper as, since 1960, the estate is owned by the town, who turned it into the museum it is today. It was listed as a national monument in 1995. Well worth a visit. More pics here.

Front of villa and, just above, the rear.

Monday 18th June 2012. A dull day overall with temps around the 20 mark.

A packed beach as temps soar in Hendaye

Hendaye beach and below the bay at the other side of a dividing "finger" of land.
More pics here

A packed beach as temps soar in Hendaye

Sunday June 17^th

The sun was a bit late in coming to Hendaye this Sunday but once arrived, around noon, the temperatures soared and the beach soon got packed. You could hardly find a place to sit down as tout le monde, or so it seemed, turned up in the little French border town. Spent a few hours on the sand and I reckon it was the most packed beach I’ve ever been on.

Earlier, while the weather was dull and so much cooler, we took advantage to drive into Spain to the lovely little coastal town of Getaria intending to fulfil a promise to walk the coastal path from there to neighbour Zarautz, about 5.5 kilometres (approximately).

The fact that the sun wasn't out in the early part of the walk, indeed for most of the walk, took from the lovely coastal scenery as the track, adjoining the winding road (but well protected) and suspended over the sea, wove in and out following the contours of the coast.

There were hundreds out: singles, doubles, families and all kinds of small groups. It seemed to be the thing to do. Of course, you may turn back halfway if you wish. But, it being nice and reasonably cool, we made it to Zarautz and then headed back to Getaria and the sun came out as we approached the end.

Now we are back from the beach, after a refreshing dip in the pool, looking forward to dinner from the local traiteur (Axoa, minced beef in a local pepper sauce) and to a good game later in the Euros. Tough going, isn’t it?

Getaria (Spain) at end of the walk while Zarautz (below) was under cloud when we left it less than 40 minutes earlier.

Sunny Day at the Market

 Hard to beat the colour of a sunny day at a busy French Market, as we found out once again in Hendaye on Saturday. All kinds of clothes and other bits and bobs on sale but the main mission was food, as always. Got that Basque dish above for dinner that evening and it was just superb, a terrific mix of slightly spiced vegetables and tuna.

Click on pic to enlarge.

Tourist Office to the Rescue!

Tourist Office to the Rescue
And efficient cheap transport in France.
More pics here

Theatre in San Sebastian

Fish display in San Sebastian

The Eusko Tren is well signed in San Sebastian

Kursaal centre in in San Sebastian

On the one day, we let someone else do the driving, the someone else didn’t turn up!

We had booked a private bus trip from Hendaye to San Sebastian, via the local tourist office, only for the bus driver to “forget” he had passengers in Hendaye and was down in the Spanish town before we and the Tourist Office, across the road from the stop, found out what was going on.

Quite a cock-up. But the Tourist Office came to the rescue in a big way and that was how we found out so much about the efficiency of and reasonable fares on the French public transport system.

Firstly, we were told to grab a local bus and get to the rail station. The local buses cost nothing while the narrow-gauge rail trip to San Sebastian cost just €2.80 per person return. We enjoyed our trip to the beautiful Spanish city and returned to the Hendaye tourist office the next day to sort out refunds and so on.

By then, the bus company had come in and offered a full refund and a trip on any other of their excursions. We had been looking at the one to Bilbao (including the Guggenheim) and that was what we choose.

The only problem about it was that we’d have to travel about 13 kilometres up the coast to the bus office who apparently wanted to deal with it personally. As it turned, we were at a loose end that afternoon and took the bus as the man in the Tourist Office suggested. Might as well take a stroll around the lively St Jean as one around Hendaye. The bus, believe it or not, cost a euro!

Beach of St Jean

Cool sup as temps hit 30s on Thurs 14th June

It took us right to the bus company’s office where we met Sandrine who knew all about us, even if she had no English. But we got on well. She refunded us our 34 euro straight away and then produced the tickets for Bilbao and apologised.

We were glad to accept. We all make mistakes but it is how you deal with it them that counts and I think both the Tourist Office (where each and every member of staff that we met was helpful) and the bus company dealt with us well and now we are looking forward to Bilbao next Wednesday.

The major memory for us from this faux pas by the bus driver is the efficiency and low cost of public transport in France. That Eusko Tren (Basque Train) to San Sebastian was punctual, state of the art with regard to messages flashed across as electronic banners (the station you were at, the side to get off, the time, the temperature, the next station) and was spotless. And the €2.80 for the 45 minute return trip was incredible.

Incredible too was that one euro cost for the 25 minute trip from Hendaye to St Jean and we had a very helpful driver aboard as well. Next time, I get tired of driving, I’ll be quite happy to take the public transport, maybe the private one too (after Wednesday next!)

San Sebastian. One of the beautiful cities.

Top: Outdoor Pieta at St Vincent's. Below: Indoor head at St Vincent's, Cork not only city with a cow, and mariner Antonio de Oquendo

On Friday, we headed for San Sebastian, going by narrow gauge EuskaTren (Basque train) from Hendaye. We reached the Amara station and then strolled up Easo Street. We knew what to expect, had been there before.

But still the gorgeous view at the end of the street, the elegant curve surrounding La Concha beach, the old buildings nearby, the hill of Monto Urgull, the blue skies, the golden sands, took our breath away. Here we were in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Coastal sculpture (by Chillida) and schoolkids

Then we headed, past the City Hall, into the compact old city,making for the market (Bretxa). Amazingly, McDonald's have been given a front entrance here. The real market though is down below. Amazing food stalls.  Then we found Constitution Square full of delivery vans! The square was once used as a bull ring and the numbers on the apartments were once used for booking your seat.

Beaches and churches

Made our way then to the church of Santa Maria (left, above), passed by the Naval Museum and Aquarium and headed for the Paseo Nouevo, the road that runs around Monte Urgull. It is also a beautiful coastal walk, so we did it, admiring the Chillida sculpture as we started off. Not too long afterwards, we found  ourselves entering the other side of the old city with the huge Kraal conference centre across the river Urumea, spanned by a variety of bridges, some very ornate indeed. Then we called to the church of San Vincenze, the city's oldest, and also saw the museum of San Telmo.

Stayed close to the river, walking past some more spectacular older buildings, such as the Victoria Eugene Theatre before cutting in to see the church of Buen Pastor.

We did make a one or two food and drink stops, coffee and a slice of tart for about €2.70, and also some shopping before all the walking in the heat (31/2 degrees) began to take its toll and so we headed back down Easo Street and the train back to Hendaye.

City Hall

The sheltered bay: Mount Urgull on right.
More pics here

On the mountain edge. Steering into the blue sky

On the mountain edge. Steering into the blue sky.
Thursday June 14th
More pics here


Got an unexpected drive into the high Pyrenees today and it turned out to be a sensational ear popping experience and that even before we reached our main target which was the Himalayan style hanging bridge of Holtzarte that gently swings some 200 meters above the wooded gorge below.

The drive was unexpected in two ways. We had been scheduled to visit San Sebastian but a transport malfunction put paid to that. So we headed east to the Pyrenees and then Suzy, our Sat-Nav lady, took over, taking us off course on the N310.

As we rose into the air on narrow farmer’s roads, in an area where they make the famous Ossau Iraty sheep cheese, the scenery became ever more spectacular, the road ever narrower. Sometimes as you rounded a bend all you saw was sky. Not the time to get dizzy!

She should have picked another road, the D18, which was quite spectacular itself as we found on the way home. The delay cost us quite a bit of time but the trip up to the heights – I reckon some of the passes were around 1600 metres – was memorable.

As we began to come down we reached the entrance to the valley where the town of Larrau is situated. Had to climb again and then down again, temperatures dropping and then rising. The starting point for the hanging bridge of Holtzarte is a few kilometres beyond Larrau. We found the car park and started up a fairly tough path.

Some of it isn’t too bad but parts are quite rocky. Here and there one gets help from “steps” and a wire at the side but the heat made it tough going and only part of the walk is in shade. But, about fifty minutes later, we agreed it was worth it as we viewed the gorge and then took ourselves across the passerelle which swayed rather gently above that massive drop. Phew!

Fashioned two rough walking sticks that helped in the walk back down. Took our time and made it safely to the nearby Logibar Auberge. Food no great shakes but sure as hell enjoyed the beer and the mini pizza. On the way home, we stopped off at a traiteur and picked up some gorgeous paupiette du veau for dinner.

• The reason the trip to San Sebastian was cancelled (for us) was that the tour driver, who started up the coast,”forgot” he had passengers in Hendaye. Another story but with quite a good ending and no hard feelings!

Wine and Fashion in Spanish Gem

Vineyards above the town

One of Getaria's beaches

Fashion Museum

Inside Balenciaga

Getaria's church, built over a tunnel.

Wine and Fashion in Spanish Gem


Wednesday June 13th
More pics here


Getaria, on the coast between San Sebastian and Bilbao, is one of the prettiest Spanish villages we’ve come across on this trip. We called back there on Thursday to take a walk around the Txakoli vineyards.

For a while we walked over an old cobbled path that was once part of the pilgrim route to Santiago and just a few hundred yards from the roundabout in the centre of the town found the first of the vineyards from which this dry acidic wine is made. The vines are grown high and are then trained out along supports.

Back in the town, we called into a bar for a glass of you know what. They pour it from a height, about shoulder high, into sturdy tumblers, releasing both extra flavours and the fizz. Refreshing. So we went off and bought some to bring home.

Getaria also has a little black number that you hardly know is there until you take the outdoor elevator up to it: the Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. Now a fashion history museum would hardly be my ideal way of spending a sunny hour but the dressmaker with me was keen and I must admit I found the story fascinating.

First of all the Museum itself is worth a look. And not just inside. Take a walk around the outside. Inside, you first take the lift upstairs and see the permanent exhibitions.

Balenciaga was born here and the six shows follow his life, from the Early Days, to his Day Wear, Cocktail, Evening, Wedding and then a computer aided display of the fascinating technique that he employed as he brought fashion into the sixties, all there before your eyes.

There are also temporary exhibitions and the one currently on studies the development of the Mannequin. In fashion, it really is amazing how things always seem to come around. Balenciaga’s Bat Wing sleeves from 1952 are back in style. Must tell my girls, at least the one who is wearing them!
* Earlier post on Getaria here

Trimbach Wines, Gubbeen and Cashel Blue

Iconic French winemaker with iconic Irish food producers

Darina Allen and Jean Trimbach

Jean Trimbach, Trimbach Wines, Alsace, France
with Giana & Fingal Ferguson, Gubbeen Farm, Cheeses & Cured Meats, Schull, Co. Cork
and Sarah & Sergio Furno, Cashel Blue & Crozier Blue Cheese, Fethard, Co. Tipperary

The Grain Store at Ballymaloe, Wednesday 4th July, 7.00pm

A special evening in Ballymaloe with Trimbach Wines, Alsace, France - family run since 1626, and listed in the Top 10 White Winemakers of the world, with their wines & stories presented by Jean Trimbach. Also alongside Jean Trimbach, will be Sarah & Sergio Furno of 'Cashel Blue & Crozier Blue Cheeses', and Giana & Fingal Ferguson, of 'Gubbeen Farm, Cheese and Cured Meats',  who will also tell us their story with a tasting of their produce, to taste alongside the wines of Trimbach.

Wednesday 4th July, 7pm, €15 (includes wine & nibbles)

Rising Tide Tops in Munster

The Rising Tide Cork awarded ‘Best Restaurant in Munster’
in Good Eating Guide to Ireland

Pictured from left were Sandra Murphy, Rising Tide, Diane O'Sullivan, Fota Resort and  Eileen and Michael Fleming, Flemings 

The Rising Tide in Glounthaune, Cork, picked up the prestigious title of ‘Best Restaurant in Munster’ in the ‘Good Eating Guide to Ireland’ at an event in Dublin that was attended by restaurateurs, food critics and foodies from all over Ireland on Monday 11 June.

The restaurant is quoted as being a secluded sanctuary just 10 minutes from Cork city centre, with some of the best seafood in the region and breath-taking views.   The owner Sandra Murphy brought nationwide attention to the family business during her time on TV3’s The Apprentice, and it has enjoyed further fame from celebrity visits, including Lady Gaga.

Commenting on the win, Sandra Murphy said, “We are over the moon at winning such an esteemed title.  It’s a challenging time for the industry, so we are delighted to see that our hard work, ethos of only sourcing the highest quality local produce, and recognition that customers are looking for value for money and something a little different, is paying off”.

A well established diners’ reference, the 96 page Good Eating Guide to Ireland features over 250 hotels, restaurants and public house eating establishments in virtually every county in Ireland.  45,000 copies have been printed and are available at any of the Guide’s featured hotels, restaurants or pubs.  The Guide is also available as an insert in the July issue of Easy Food Magazine.

The Rising Tide is also recommended by Paolo Tullio's Taste Of Ireland, Georgina Campbell guides, Lucinda O' Sullivan Great Places to Eat, Good Food Ireland, BIM and it was voted Dining Pub of the Year 2009.

Super visit to La Rioja

Baigorri's glass cube

Samaniego

Tondonia's tasting rooms

Me and a favourite vine at La Rioja Alta

Vineyards through the Baigorri glass

Hillside ventas

Super visit to La Rioja
Tuesday 12th June
More pics here


With a showery forecast for Hendaye, we decided to take the trip to La Rioja where the forecast for this Tuesday was for marginally better weather. It wasn't blue skies all the way but it didn’t rain and we enjoyed the most fantastic wines between Haro and the medieval village of Samaniego.

The Spanish road system is just brilliant in these parts. We had been on the San Sebastian to Bilbao highway before but weren't quite prepared for the amount of tunnels when we turned off and headed for La Rioja, still on the toll roads. One of the tunnels, at 3405 metres, was the longest I have ever driven.

Haro, a small town, is regarded as the wine capital of La Rioja, as it was here it all started. Our first call was to La Rioja Alta, where they actually charge you for the tastings, anything from €1.50 to a fiver a glass. You don’t really want to be tasting glassfuls on a road trip, so we shared. Highlight here was the Reserva Vina Ardanza, priced at €15.49 a bottle. The lady who served us had polished off her English in Dublin!

Then off to the nearby Lopez de Heredia premises and their gorgeous tasting rooms. This is better known to us as Tondonia (though apparently Lopez has taken off in US). Highlight here was their incredible Tondonia Blanca Reserva (1996) and, of course, the lady who served us had learned her English in Dublin.

Then we headed towards Logrono looking for Bogedas Ysios but that journey was interrupted when we spotted the original glass cube of Bodegas Baigorri which marks their seven storey downwards building where much is done by the simple use of gravity. We missed out on a full tour but saw much of the operation.

And, of course, we visited the shop. Crianza, Reserva and “a vin d'auteur”, not the most popular with traditionalists, were bought and the lady that served us here broke the sequence. She polished off her English in Cork, having many happy memories of her stay in Little Island's Clash Road about three years ago!

Sunday was supposed to be very rainy in Hendaye and we did get 90 minutes of heavy stuff around lunchtime. Before that, we had walked the beach and seen the many surfers in action. Afterwards, we walked to Spain, as you would, if as here, it is just across a bridge. Checked out some of the nearby wine shops. Perhaps, we’ll call again.

Don’t think we call again though to any of those Ventas, the bargain places for French people, just on the Spanish side of the border. We did visit Ventas Ibardin on Monday. High on a hillside pass, with a great view of the French coast, including of St Jean de Luz, some years back they bulldozed away the trees and about 12 big buildings were set up for business.

They are mainly supermarkets, all selling much the same stuff, with some perfumeries and leather goods. We had been looking for shoes but the selection disappointed. Perfumes were priced much the same as on the ferry (Brittany Ferries) but bargains were found in one spot.

The alcohol outlets, some specialist, most in supermarkets, generally disappointed in terms of wine, though one specialist had a great selection of sprits. Did get a few bits and pieces but nothing worth talking about.

Indeed the only thing worth talking about was a spectacular thunderstorm that broke out while we were sitting in the car. We had come up through Spain and returned to Hendaye via France. Interesting but hardly profitable.