Piment D'Espelette (Espelette Pepper) - 40 gm jar

Piment d' Espelette is the beloved chile pepper of the Basque country.

Piment d'Espelette possesses an excellent and unique flavor. It is gently hot with a pleasantly piquant "bite" that fades quickly from the palate. At only 4,000 on the Scoville scale, Espelette pepper makes a good substitue for hot paprika or New Mexico red Chile.

The Espelette pepper is cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, traditionally the northern territory of the Basque people. After chile peppers were brought to France from the New World in the 16th century, they quickly became a cornerstone of Basque cuisine.

Piment d'Espelette is harvested in late summer and drying peppers can be seen hanging on balconies and house walls throughout the communes to dry.

In 1967, the small village of Espelette established the Celebration of Peppers, annually held on the last Sunday in October featuring regional food, music, dance and games.

In 1999, an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée) was granted to Espelette peppers and products. Only ten communities are allowed to use the name Espelette for a total growing area of about 3,000 acres.

Product of France