Rating: 4/5
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know too much about Basque culture, so I was pretty excited to receive this book. It is a really beautiful book too. The hardcover binding is fantastic and feel like it will hold up really well to use. A lot of the paperback cookbooks I have get beaten up after even a few uses due to the binding, so I appreciate the hardcover format quite a bit.
The pictures are terrific. There is a nice mix of photographs featuring various recipes from the book and ones showing off the Basque countryside and people. I feel like the writer made a real effort to capture the feel of the culture and what makes it unique. This is present from the introduction of each section through to the ingredients used in the recipes. Sometimes the chapter theme and the ingredients coincide, such as when eggs or fish are the topic. Throughout the book she drives home how important simple quality ingredients are to Basque cooking. There are many elements here that are similar to Spanish culture, but the writer does a good job of keeping this book distinct.
This book as a whole feels directed more toward experienced cooks, though not necessarily professionals. It does give guidance on some techniques and anyone could probably pick out a recipe and follow it easily enough. There are points where the writer is speaking to the reader assuming they have some knowledge of cooking that could be off-putting to less experienced cooks. While there are quite a few pictures of the end results, not every recipe receives this treatment. It seems like less experienced cooks want that photo to show them what the end result is supposed to be.
Anyone with an interest in Basque or Spanish cooking should pick this up. There are some great authentic recipes here and the presentation is phenomenal.
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