San Sebastián (EFE).- The Association of Pastry Chefs of Gipuzkoa, Gozoa, imposed itself 45 days ago on the construction of a chocolate whaling txalupa so that it would end up in the water. It was an unprecedented challenge that, as such, raised the question of whether or not he would manage to float. The answer has arrived this Thursday and it is affirmative, two rowers have walked in it through the bay of Pasaia.
A feat to vindicate the trade
Gozoa has achieved the feat and, with it, become visible to claim the “excellence” of the artisanal sweet gastronomy of the Basque Country. Representatives of the sector and of institutions such as the Basque Government and the Community of the Basque Country have witnessed the launching of the peculiar vessel. The mayor of San Sebastián, Eneko Goia, has also attended.
The chocolate whaling txalupa waiting to be launched. EFE/Juan Herrero
Gone are the days in which pastry chefs have worked in the facilities of the Albaola maritime factory to build the replica of this 16th century txalupa, which is eight meters long. All of this after Isidoro Torreblanca, from the Txistu Gozotegi of Vitoria, tested techniques and created a model ship to find out “the correct force”.
The pastry chefs, also encouraged by the success they achieved two years ago with the chocolate replica of Picasso’s “Guernica”, set to work to make a one-piece helmet.
A wooden skeleton as a mold
They turned the wooden replica upside down so they could adhere the chocolate. Then they removed the mold and then the hull of the ship.
There was talk that they could use 2,000 kilos of chocolate in the task. The representative of Gozoa Lorena Gómez, from the Maitiana pastry shop in San Sebastián, has said that there have finally been 2,500.
The chocolate boat in the waters of the Pasaia bay. EFE/Juan Herrero
Gómez has stressed that his sector has plans for the future and wants to launch “major” projects to “give prestige” to the profession of pastry chef. They bet, for example, to create a training center in sweet gastronomy.
By overcoming this challenge, “emphasis has been placed on the maritime history of the Basque Country”. And “gastronomy and the Basque maritime tradition” have come together, as some of the participants in the event have highlighted.
The entrance Chocolate to the water! It was first published in EFE Noticias.