Basque Country 

If you're in the Basque Country, stop in to see Pierre Oteiza, a producer and master charcutier who still lives in the village where he was born, about 50 km from Bayonne. For more than thirty years, with other passionate farmers, he has reintroduced the local Basque black and white pig which was on its way to extinction. Pierre Oteiza'a business air-dries its hams and pork belly in a collective dryer and makes dry and fresh sausages, Jésus sausages, pàtés, boudin and cooked dishes in its artisanal workshop.

There's nothing like brunch to start a Sunday morning! Take a seat on the terrace in front of the park where the Basque sow is watching over its piglets. It's a different world! On the menu: Kintoa ham, a protected designation product made from the Basque black and white pig, which pairs perfectly with a soft-boiled egg and toast points. Then on to pork belly or "ventrèche" (dried pork belly rubbed with Espelette pepper), or sausages slowly cooked in their own fat, or fried and served with a teaming piperade. Round things off with a sheep's milk cheese, black cherry jam, or quince jelly.

In this rustic paradise, Pierre Oteiza shared some authentic flavors from the Basque tradition. Don't hesitate to pick up some products from the shop. However, don't worry - there are lots of "ambassador" outlets, grocery stores, butcher shops and markets, that offer his products: charcuterie, along with other staples of Basque cuisine like piperade, veal axoa with sweet peppers, Basque-style chicken, garbure, confit and cassoulet, to name just some of them.