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The festival that promotes products and food from this area of Patagonia celebrated its 10th edition and celebrated along with the inauguration of the “2017 Whale Season.” Over the three days, the coastal city was the site of various kinds of event related with the area, like a Food Circuit, master cooking classes, charity events and the Producers and Design Fair where the Etorritakoengatik Basque Club had a stand. 

Puerto Madryn, Argentina.   The 10th edition of the “Madryn al Plato” Festival took place this year June 30-July 2nd.  As it has since its foundation, the Etorritakoengatik Basque club was part of the Producers and Design Fair, the part of the festival that aims at the promotion of products and works by local producers.

The stand, strictly food oriented, was armed with Basque club cooks who prepared a large variety of typical pintxos on the spot “as they would be prepared in any bar in the Basque Country, including using the same ingredients, like ham, cheese, peppers, vegetables and offering also patata tortilla.” While being a food stand, the club didn’t hold back the Basque colors: ikurriñas, txapelas, and scarves identified the Basque txoko.  The cooks, also worked with Basque club aprons on, as well as Etorritakoengatik t-shirts, all while circulating a bota bag with wine.

In a conversation with EuskalKultura.com, club member Diana Lleonart Alberdi stressed that the food event was a big success, “a real party,” since producers in the area as well as associations of communities could show what they do successfully and sell their products.  She also said that in this anniversary edition of the festival, renowned chefs like Pedro Lambertini, Federico Fontan (known from the Hotel Llao Llao, Silvia Valdemoros, Gustavo Lena and the festival’s matriarch, Dolli Irigoyen, also participated in the events. Local authorities were also present including Mayor Ricardo Sastre who visited the Basque club’s stand and took a picture with the cooks while there.