BOISE, Idaho — Boise is home to one of the largest Basque populations in the US and the culture is often celebrated with its cuisine.
If you've explored Basque food in Boise in the last 30 years, odds are you've come across Dan Ansotegui. He's one of four local chefs who made the semifinalist list for this year's James Beard Awards.
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Ansotegui currently owns Ansots in downtown Boise with his wife, Tamara, and daughter, Ellie. Ansotegui also started Bar Gernika in 1991 and The Basque Market in 1999.
The vision for the latest venture at Ansots was originally a chorizo-focused catering company but the space they found downtown offered room for in-house dining. So, they're also open for lunch, but the entire menu is inspired by Basque sausage known as "chorizo".
Ansotegui says chorizo comes down to three main ingredients: salt, fresh garlic, and pepper sauce. Chorizo is also almost always made with pork.
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This is Ansotegui's second year making the semifinalist list.
"Last year, it was a bigger shock. This year it was at least on our radar," Ansotegui said. "Last year it wasn't even on our radar and a customer called and told Ellie and Ellie came back and told me and I said, 'No, Ellie, that's not true; that didn't happen.' So it took a little while to convince me!"
Despite the regional recognition, Dan stays focused on developing the familiar flavors he grew up around with a family full of good cooks. Dan's mother and grandparents were all skilled in the kitchen "each in their own way", he says, with his Grandma Epi's recipes on display and a cookbook up for sale in the dining room. She's also the inspiration for the Meridian restaurant, Epi's, owned by Ansotegui's relatives.
Generations later, recipes have adapted and Dan is happy to share.
"I don't want us to do some really wonderful things here, and then they die with us," Ansotegui said. "We're usually happy, if we have time, to give out recipes and talk about the things that we're doing."
Ansotegui hopes to open a separate production facility this year to crank out even more chorizo and cured meats to serve the Treasure Valley. Ansots is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They also offer catering for special occasions and large events.
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