The Basque Burnt Cheesecake – a History and Recipe
Indira (Y10) explores the origin behind a delicious desert
The Basque Burnt Cheesecake is a tempting desert that can be enjoyed easily in the comfort of your own home. “But, where and when was the Basque cheesecake born?” Federica Artina, foodie and journalist, rightly questions. An established bar and restaurant in the old part of San Sebastián called La Viña first served this, now famous dish, in the 80s.
La Viña first opened in 1959 – it was founded by Eladio Rivera and his family. Eladio’s son, Santi, was a self-taught cook who loved to experiment with dishes. Spain was starting to open up to the global economy, allowing for wider access to new goods, such as cream cheese. And with Santi’s overseas cooking courses in places like Paris, he was driven to invent this rich cheesecake. The cheesecake was never a traditional Basque dish, but the few times Santi Rivera served it, more and more people started to request it – and so it was served for several years.
With pintxo (Basque tapas) tours becoming rather popular in the 2000s, foreigners quickly caught wind of this glorious dish, and spread the word. The news and the recipe travelled like wildfire, with the cheesecake eventually featuring in the New York Times article, How Will We Eat in 2021? Where this cheesecake is considered the ‘Flavour of the Year’ for 2021. From a small bar-restaurant, to a globally loved traditional dish, this cheesecake came out triumphant.
References:
https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/basque-burnt-cheesecake-recipe