euskalkultura.eus

12/05/2017 - Madera, CA, USA

Who does not know in the United States, particularly in California and the West, the 'Basque' sauce produced by the 'Basque Company'? In the country of barbecues, it is the favorite sauce for many BBQ fans. The company and sauce were created in 1980 by the Navarrese immigrant Ramón Ylarregui, who sold them in 2015. Ramon Ylarregui died a few days ago in Madera, California. The rosary in his memory will be today at 6 in the Farewell Funeral Chapel of Madera. The funeral, tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10:00 in the Shrine of St. Therese church.

Ramon Ylarregui was born in the Navarrese town of Itsaso, in Basaburua, Ultzamaldea, on February 23, 1930, third of the children of María Aldareguia and Juan Ylarregui (his two older brothers were Bautista and José and his younger sister Rosalía). Hepassed away Last Tuesday, December 5 at 87 years old in Madera, California.

In 1954 he emigrated to the United States, to work as a sheepherder for his uncle Miguel Ylarregui. Raymond was a restless man and he started business with other Basques, he worked in a dairy, in the ranch of Phil Erro in Caruthers, always in the Californian area of ​​Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley.

He married another Basque, Dora Larrea, in 1962. Raymond owned an 80-acre ranch in this area of ​​numerous Basque settlements, while working autonomously in jobs for other ranchers. He also served for the Laguna Irrigation District, as well as for his cousin Clarence Ylarregui.

It was in 1980 when he founded the company that would ensure his future, naming it the Basque Company and making with his own recipe a sauce that he named 'Basque sauce' in this land of barbecues and grills. He succeeded and years later he would add a second fish sauce to his meat sauce. He sold the company in 2015, after 35 years, getting a good pinch although he never wanted to give details. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dora and his two older brothers. He is survived by his sister Rosalia; his son Michael and wife Tiffany; and his partner Rebecca Lindholm.

EuskalKultura.com talked with Raymond Ylarregui just over two and a half years ago, when he sold the company, in dialogue with Ander Egiluz. Gogoan Bego, Ramon (here is the obituary published by The Fresno Bee and Legacy.com)