Thank you so much for sharing my Gilda photo and mentioning Donostia Foods! The Gilda is at the heart of our entire product line, as Cantabrian anchovies, manzanilla olives, and guindilla peppers were the first products I offered, with hopes of evoking the joyousness of an evening wandering between pintxo bars of the Parte Vieja here in the States.
Your writing is tremendous, thank you for leading people to delicious food with such wonderful words!
I'm going to convert it into metric and make this! We don't go for traditional food for Christmas so I like the idea of the cheesecake for dessert with a pavlova on the side. I think I may make the gilda for my friend's drinks party on Saturday, looks so tasty
I just got back from Trader Joe's and they once again have one of my Spanish favorites: rabitos royale Bombón de higo. These chocolate fig desserts are amazing and not that expensive! Thank you for the cheesecake recipe and the confidence to cover up minor mishaps with fruit.
Actually, if you just occasionally eat foods that naturally contain iodine (seaweed, some seafood, dairy, eggs, prunes) you generally do not need to supplement with iodized salt.
Hi, Rachel: Theoretically you are right. In my case when I was using sea salt without iodine my blood test showed a deficiency in my thyroid hormones. I was able to bring my thyroid hormone levels up to normal by switching to a brand of sea salt with added iodine.
As a side note, most of the ‘turbot’ you’ll find in the restaurants of San Sebastián and Bilbao is actually brill - a similar fish but more common and not quite as good imo.
So far, the best Basque Cheesecake I’ve ever tasted is the one by Chef Margarita Manzke of Republique in Los Angeles. It has so creamy melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.
Your cheesecake recipe makes me want to experiment to bake one. Do you have any recommendation for the best brand of cream cheese to make the Basque Cheesecake? Thank you in advance.
Love the cheesecake recipe! Looks easy to make (though I don't have a proper food processor, I have a chopper/grinder—maybe it's time to get a small one?).
I've got some salt-preserved anchovies I've been planning on using for a while—wonder if those will work here?
In San Sebastian they make the cheesecake in a metal bowl with a metal spoon. So you don't need to buy any arcane equipment. Most recipes call for a stand mixer, but I've found a food processor to be much more efficient in reducing lumps and smoothing the batter out.
Oooh, where did you find salt-preserved anchovies? I've been looking for those - I remember them from the antipasto our favorite Italian restaurant served when I was a child. (Oh the smell of garlic when you opened the door!) My palate was experimenting even then!
I wish more Americans liked anchovies.
Hello Ruth,
Thank you so much for sharing my Gilda photo and mentioning Donostia Foods! The Gilda is at the heart of our entire product line, as Cantabrian anchovies, manzanilla olives, and guindilla peppers were the first products I offered, with hopes of evoking the joyousness of an evening wandering between pintxo bars of the Parte Vieja here in the States.
Your writing is tremendous, thank you for leading people to delicious food with such wonderful words!
All the best,
A.J. Weiss
Donostia Foods
I'm going to convert it into metric and make this! We don't go for traditional food for Christmas so I like the idea of the cheesecake for dessert with a pavlova on the side. I think I may make the gilda for my friend's drinks party on Saturday, looks so tasty
Dear Ruth,
I am wondering , that there is no Heavy Cream in your recipe 🤔 every other recipe needs heavy cream.
I just got back from Trader Joe's and they once again have one of my Spanish favorites: rabitos royale Bombón de higo. These chocolate fig desserts are amazing and not that expensive! Thank you for the cheesecake recipe and the confidence to cover up minor mishaps with fruit.
A word about sea salt....I love it but found out a few years ago to seek out brands that add iodine, to avoid iodine deficiency.
Actually, if you just occasionally eat foods that naturally contain iodine (seaweed, some seafood, dairy, eggs, prunes) you generally do not need to supplement with iodized salt.
Hi, Rachel: Theoretically you are right. In my case when I was using sea salt without iodine my blood test showed a deficiency in my thyroid hormones. I was able to bring my thyroid hormone levels up to normal by switching to a brand of sea salt with added iodine.
I like anchovies, I just forget to use them!
Thanks for sharing your interesting writings.
As a side note, most of the ‘turbot’ you’ll find in the restaurants of San Sebastián and Bilbao is actually brill - a similar fish but more common and not quite as good imo.
Oh boy....you posted six hours ago and already the Mercado Central is out of that special salt! Hope they get more in soon.
So far, the best Basque Cheesecake I’ve ever tasted is the one by Chef Margarita Manzke of Republique in Los Angeles. It has so creamy melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.
Your cheesecake recipe makes me want to experiment to bake one. Do you have any recommendation for the best brand of cream cheese to make the Basque Cheesecake? Thank you in advance.
Even in San Sebastian they use Philadelphia cream cheese, so that's what I use.
Oh okay. Thank you again, Ruth.
No boots of Spanish leather?
Made your recipe for Sour Cream Apple Pie this week. Delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Love the cheesecake recipe! Looks easy to make (though I don't have a proper food processor, I have a chopper/grinder—maybe it's time to get a small one?).
I've got some salt-preserved anchovies I've been planning on using for a while—wonder if those will work here?
In San Sebastian they make the cheesecake in a metal bowl with a metal spoon. So you don't need to buy any arcane equipment. Most recipes call for a stand mixer, but I've found a food processor to be much more efficient in reducing lumps and smoothing the batter out.
Oooh, where did you find salt-preserved anchovies? I've been looking for those - I remember them from the antipasto our favorite Italian restaurant served when I was a child. (Oh the smell of garlic when you opened the door!) My palate was experimenting even then!
Thank you SO much for these sources. (No denial that I will be purveying at least one of each for myself!)