Page 186 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

doesn’t do much else right, he said.
We peeled and chopped the potatoes - using
knife techniques shown by the chefs. Then we
watched them piled into skillets to cook. It
may be a shock to the health conscious, but
they are boiled in oil (canola or sunflower),
then drained. Carlos explained that any other
cooking method wouldn’t give the potatoes the
right creamy texture essential for a great tor-
tilla. We also didn’t add onions - a tortilla in-
gredient heatedly debated. Carlos likes to
include them; Chef Saul did not.
Once eggs and potatoes are combined, our
team faced its major challenge - flipping the
tortilla from a sizzling hot pan onto a dish and
sliding it back into the pan to finish cooking.
No one wanted his or her tortilla to land on
the floor, so we nervously practiced the move.
Following Carlos’ instructions, Four class-
mates took turns doing the tortilla flip, each
with their distinctive style, each cheered and
applauded by fellow students. All succeeded,
except Ron. He hesitated mid-flip, dumping a
small clump of egg potato mixture on the
worktable. Chagrined, he managed to follow
through, slipping it back in the pan, and
miraculously ended up with a lovely tasty tor-
tilla.
With this dish, we had another skill to mas-
ter. The chefs paired the tortilla with a Basque
favorite drink, crisp dry cider. Tradition says
the cider is poured with a flourish into the
glass from on high - at least arm’s length - to
bring in lots of air bubbles. Carlos demon-
strated. Then it was our turn. Amazingly, ev-
eryone who tried it didn’t spill a drop. Except
for Ron. He declined to try, still vexed by his
botched tortilla flipping.
Our next dish starred dried, salted cod or
bacalao. This is a familiar ingredient for us
because of our many visits to Portugal, where
it’s much loved and savored. We didn’t know it
is just as important in Basque country, with
its long history of fishing and cod consump-
tion. The protein-rich fish is a staple here, es-
pecially valued during times of food shortages.
On our class menu was Bacalao al Pil Pil,
one of the most popular Basque cod dishes.

186 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023