Basque Country food souvenirs: what to bring home and where to buy it

The best souvenir of the Basque Country is one you can eat (or drink). Here is what to bring home, and the shops where you can buy it. To discover the dishes themselves, read our tour of Basque food.

Bayonne chocolate

Chocolate arrived in Bayonne more than four centuries ago, with Portuguese Jewish merchants. In 1670, the town was already presenting 12 kg of it to distinguished visitors; in 1854, it had 32 chocolate makers. Today the Bayonne Chocolate Academy (Académie du chocolat de Bayonne) brings together six chocolatiers: L’Atelier du Chocolat, Cazenave, Daranatz, Monsieur Txokola, Chocolat Pascal and Pariès.

• Cazenave — founded in 1854 on rue Port-Neuf, famous for its hand-whisked frothy hot chocolate, served with buttered toast in its tearoom.
• Daranatz — founded in 1890 by the brothers Gaston and Jean-Baptiste Daranatz, at 15 rue Port-Neuf since 1904; also in Biarritz since 1930.

Adam macarons from Saint-Jean-de-Luz

According to family tradition, Maison Adam presented its almond macarons to the Queen Mother, Anne of Austria, and to the newlyweds at the wedding of Louis XIV in 1660. The recipe (almonds, egg whites, sugar) is handed down by word of mouth. Shops on place Louis-XIV and rue Gambetta, in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Also in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pariès is known for its mouchous and kanougas.

Gâteau basque

Crème pâtissière (almond or rum and vanilla) or black cherry jam? Both! To dig deeper: the gâteau basque museum in Sare.

Spices and preserves

• Espelette pepper PDO (AOP) — as a powder, on a string or as a purée; buy it from growers in the designation area (see Espelette).
• Piquillos de Lodosa — the small roasted red peppers of Navarre, in jars.
• Itxassou black cherry jam — to serve with sheep’s cheese.
• Tinned fish — the Conserverie Jean de Luz works only with organic products (gold medal in 2021).

Cured meats and cheeses

• Bayonne ham PGI — cured for 7 months minimum, 9 to 12 months in practice.
• Kintoa ham PDO — the ham of the Basque pig, cured for 16 to 18 months in Aldudes.
• Ossau-Iraty PDO (north of the border) and Idiazabal (south of the border) — two sheep’s cheeses. Ask for them to be vacuum-packed for the journey.

Liqueurs and wines

• Izarra — a liqueur created in 1906 in Hendaye by the botanist and pharmacist Joseph Grattau, in green and yellow versions (40% ABV), made with 17 plants; its headquarters moved back to Bayonne in 2011.
• Patxaran — a liqueur of sloes steeped in anise (25–30% ABV). Pacharán Navarro has been a geographical indication since 1988.
• Irouléguy — the wine of Lower Navarre.
• Txakoli — the crisp white wine of the coast; see our guide.

Travel tips

• Travelling by car is the easiest way to bring home bottles and jars.
• By plane, liquids and pastes (bottles, jams, purées) are subject to security rules: check with your airport and airline, and put bottles in your checked luggage, well wrapped.
• Ham and cheese travel better vacuum-packed.

Sources

• Bayonne Chocolate Academy — History (in French); Members of the Academy (in French)
• Les Petites Affiches 64 — Cazenave chocolate; Daranatz — The company
• Saint-Jean-de-Luz tourist office — The secret of the Adam macaron; Local produce
• Bayonne Ham Consortium; French Ministry of Agriculture — Kintoa ham (in French)
• Wikipedia: Izarra (French), Pacharán (Spanish), Gâteau basque (French), Ossau-Iraty (French), Idiazabal cheese (Spanish), Itxassou black cherry (French)
• DO Pimiento del Piquillo de Lodosa (in Spanish)

Ongi etorri — and bon appétit!