Sheepherders had a tough and nomadic life and had to adapt their cooking to the environment. Sheepherders bread was something easy to make because it requires minimal ingredients and can be cooked underground in a dutch oven. The recipe that The Basque Market uses has been passed down from the maternal great grandmother of the market’s owner, Tony. His great grandmother was a resourceful and resilient woman. Her husband was a sheepherder and therefore they lived in a tent with 5 kids! She would keep the tent clean by sweeping the dirt floor, and to keep off the night chill, she lined the tent walls with newspaper. Pictured above is Tony’s grandfather on his father’s side. At the time of the photograph he was only 18 years old and in charge of 2,000 sheep. He herded his sheep from Arock, Oregon to Winnemucca, Nevada.

If you want to learn more about Basque culture, stop by The Basque Market!