Basque Rides Again!

A good number of my friends know my love of the Basque tradition of communal meals. I was first introduced to Basque in Urbana, Illinois and immediately became a core member and instigator. While Basque is about fun and camaraderie and food -- there's usually a good bit of experimentation as well (though rarely with liquid oxygen and nitrogen.

When I moved to the East Coast, I worried that I might be leaving behind the notion of fantastic foods and epicurean gatherings. Boy was I wrong. Dinner conversation gave way to small gatherings, which ended up with further pondering, and last month, to the continuation of the tradition.

Here's menus & commentary from the past two Basques:

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The first Greenbelt Basque was held second weekend in March and was quite the auspicious beginning to Basque -- East Coast edition! We had straightline winds of 65MPH, freak hail, and tons of fantastic food. Here's the run-down:

Appetizers:
Jalapeño-Stuffed Olives (& Other Varieties)
Tamari Almonds
Port Salut, Aged Gouda, Extra Sharp Cheddar
Fresh-Baked Brioche
Fresh-baked Baguettes
Various Crackers & Melba Toasts

Entres:
Carmelized Onion & Blue Cheese Torte
Roasted Red Pepper Torte
Salmon -- Pacific Northwest Style (smokey & tangy)
Grilled Jumbo Scallops with Fresh Corn Salsa
2.5lb (Thick-Cut) T-Bone Steak
Andouille Sausage (from the Dutch Market)
Butternut Squash and Cinnamon Cream Soup
Garlic Beef Tangine
Vegetarian Tangine
Saffron & Almond Couscous
Savory Parsnip, Asparagus, Tofu, & Cheddar Pot Pie
Home-made Gravlax

Deserts:
Basil Sorbet
Pavlova with Kiwis and Raspberries
Profiteroles w/ melted hazelnut chocolate
Various Dark Chocolates
Home-Roasted Coffee

Potables:
Myriad Microbrews (e.g., Saranac, Wild Goose, Magic Hat, Flying Dog, Boddingtons, Fat Angel, Otter Creek Spring Ale, Pilsner Urquell)
Courtney Benham 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Buffalo Grove 2005 Syrah
Gumdale 2006 Shiraz
Gumdale Reserve 2006 Shiraz
Rodenbach -- Flemish Sour Beer
Victory Golden Monkey Tripel
Tia Maria & Cream
Tomintoul 16-Year Single Malt Scotch

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April 2008 Basque

The weather was fantastic and people were feeling in the Basque spirit! While some participants may have been expecting a mere dozen dishes going in, what they got was something far, FAR grander.

We ate out in the garden this past weekend on what could only be described as a near-on perfect day (had to make an emergency Ikea run for the necessary table & seating). For those tracking such things, over the course of 8 hours we ate 20+ courses and drank nearly a case of beer, 8 bottles of wine, a good nip of honey-pepper vodka, and, yes, a bottle of Tequila! Folks certainly pulled out all the stops -- it was a pescatarian aquavorian feast of daunting (waste-line enhancing, oh-so-delicious) proportions... for those who weren't here (or may have passed out between courses 18-21), here's the run-down:

Appetizers:
Homemade Guacamole & Blue Corn Chips
Mixed Nuts
Toasted Almonds
Olives stuffed with Provolone

Entres:
Grilled Salmon Mark II w/ Dill & Mustard
Grilled Portabellos w/ Saba & Boysenberry Preserves
Grilled Asparagus w/ Olive Oil, Lemon, & Sea Salt
Grilled Skewers of Marinated Tuna
Stuffed Baked Red & Yellow Peppers
Baby Back Ribs, Northwest Style
Garlic & Chile Asian-Style Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Caribbean Mustard-Rum Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Haddock Fillets Marinated in Tequila-Lime-Chile Sauce
Savory Flan (with your choice of green pea or roasted pepper sauces)
Savory Bready Comestible a.k.a., Paul's Baked Gruyere Bread
Mole Poblano
"Vegetarian Corn Dish That Can be an Alternative Substrate for the Mole"
Tortillas (nice-Salvadoran-lady-at-the-Laurel-market-made)

Deserts:
Sweet Flan w/ Caramel
Sweet Bread a.k.a., Paul's Un-Crossed (yet slightly peevish) Rum-Current Buns
Apple Torte
Coconut Cake
Fruit Salad w/ Watermelon, Apple, Pineapple, & Cantaloupe

Potables:
Sweet Tea
Lemonade
Yuengling Lager
McHenry's Ale
Cusquena Beer
Newcastle Ale
Wolavers Brown Ale
Imperial Cerveja
1800 Cuervo Silver
Nemeroff Honey-Pepper Vodka
San Giorgio 2006 Pinot Grigio
Penfolds Koonunga Hill 2006 Chiraz Cabernet
Barefoot Zinfandel
Little Boomey 2006 Shiraz
Meridian 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Valdadige Montresor 2005 Pinot Grigio
Fish Eye 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon