Hockney at Bilbao's Guggenheim

Hockney at Bilbao's Guggenheim 

Tulips by Jeff Koons

The Puppy, by Jeff Koons.

 David Hockney: A Bigger Picture opened in Bilbao's Guggenheim last month and is scheduled to go on until September 30th. Some very impressive works here, some huge. Favourites would include Pearblossom Highway, the bright Yorkshire landscape series and the Grand Canyon works. There is so much of Hockney here, including video works, one would need to spend a week on this show alone. If you can't visit, the next best thing is to check it out on the museum's site.

The Guggen is featuring the work of important post WW2 artist Georg Baselitz who makes "whimsical nods to history" and uses a lot of name-dropping. All the paintings here, 16 large scale works in one room, are painted upside down. Okay for an occasional impact, say one or two at a time, but 16 together?

There is so much going on here, it is unreal. Found some rooms full of photographs. One thing that has disappointed me about the North of Spain is the amount of high rises here. Xavier Ribas highlighted them and the people who live there in his work while by contrast you have Cindy Sherman's lively portraits of younger Americans.

And so much more, including the large sculptural works of Richard Serra. Don't believe me? Just get on to that website and check it out. Fantastic.

And, of course, there is an Irish connection. The Spanish lady who sold us our tickets is married to a Dubliner and will holiday in East Cork this summer. Hope the weather improves for her, and for us.
More pics here

The Guggenheim (Bilbao) in Black & White

Star Lunch at Bilbao’s Nerua

Star Lunch at Bilbao’s Nerua

With Chef Aitor on the Nerua terrace.

20th June 2012, Wednesday
Didn’t expect to be getting a tour of the kitchen when I made an electronic booking for Bilbao’s Michelin starred restaurant Nerua earlier in the week but that’s exactly what happened within minutes of our arrival for lunch on Wednesday.

We were handed over to Chef Aitor who showed us their three work sections: Pastry, Meat/Fish, and one whole section for vegetables (which they regard as very important and source locally). We had a few nibbles before Aitor took us up to their exclusive terrace overlooking the Guggenheim in which the restaurant is located.

He explained how the “Guggen” has transformed the city, especially around here where it had been run down and ugly. Before it was an industrial city, now it is a tourist city, he explained. Could do with something transformative like this in Cork.

Onion!

After that mini-tour, we were handed over to the waiting staff. No shortage here. Formal and so well coordinated, but friendly, even time for a laugh (most had good English), and the service overall was immaculate in a white room with subdued lighting and just one window, a big one, overlooking part of the museum and the Spider Mama. Lighting is discreet, behind hanging cream ceiling tiles. No art on the walls here. Only on the plates!

An Amuse Bouche that contained a little egg yolk, thin crisps and oil, was first up. CL’s starter was Baked White Onion, cod fish and pimiento verde (12). I had chosen the Anchovies, Bilbao style, with grilled onions (15). We were off and running, a very promising start.

Anchovies

Turbot, turnip, rosemary

 My main course was outstanding: Turbot with rosemary, pickled turnip (35). Perfection on the plate and on the palate. But I have to say, CL’s was something else, with a humble piece of pork elevated to a height I’ve never before tasted: Piece of Iberico Pork, with carrots and artichoke emulsion. Incredible, more than a match for the best of beef, the best of lamb.

Delicious pork

Potato, apple and lime

That pork was a highlight and then another came quickly in the shape of my dessert: Ashes of black olives, aromatic herbs and soft ice cream (12). A very unusual feel on the palate, quickly lifted by the liquorice in the herbs. The other dessert was a Millefeuillie of potato, apple and lime (11), also excellent.

There is quite an extensive wine list, with a strong local element, many at very reasonable prices. Our pick was a Rías Baixas Nora 2011 Albarino (26); we enjoyed it very much and lingered with it for a while after we had finished off the main meal and the little surprise that followed: a warmed chocolate boule with a cold centre and we were happy to oblige with the order to eat it with one bite!

You may see the full menu here  . The prices do not include vat of 8%. Total bill, including a bottle of water and the wine, came to €150.66.

Black Olive Ashes...

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