Teaching Basque Food Culture in Boise

Teaching Basque Food Culture in Boise

WHAT DO WE EAT?  WHY DO WE EAT IT?
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? HOW DO WE COOK IT?
(Class description blow)
I am having a lot of fun teaching two courses on Food & Culture at Boise State University Honors College. The students are amazing, and so dedicated to learn about food & to cooking meals from scratch. I dedicated this past week to Basque Culture since Boise has a big Basque population —Immigration goes way back to late 1800’s. More details on Basque culture in Boise soon. But meanwhile  you can view the last two cooking classes documented below. I was aptly assisted by two Basque immigrants: Jesus Alcelay executive chef at Cottonwood & Basque Scholar Argia Beristain.

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Monday Class : Cooking with Basque Chef Jesus Alcelay
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Friday Class : Basque Family Cooking with Basque Scholar Argia Berinstain

Course Description:
While eating is the most common shared need of humankind, the great varieties of foods and cuisines serve not only our biological survival but also help to identify ourselves culturally. This course explores historical, economic, and ritual aspects of food, and looks at the role of cooking and eating in the context of the transformations of the world food system due to globalization, new technologies & migrations. Through lectures, demonstrations, films and hands-on preparation, students will learn to analyze their own food heritage while exploring local, national and international ingredients and their use. This very interactive —and tasty seminar— will also give you the basic skills to cook simple, healthy and affordable meals. You will learn knife skills, soup making, how to prepare party foods like crêpes or simple hors d’oeuvres, and how to plan menus for yourself and/or the family.