Do you like hot peppers? Then you’ve already heard of piment d’Espelette. If you’ve tasted it, you’ve probably enjoyed it. And with good reason: it’s the only spicy chilli pepper in France. What’s more, it has AOC status! But that’s not all: this chilli pepper comes from the village of Espelette, which has become an essential part of the Basque Country!
We’ve prepared an article to introduce you to this exceptional pepper in greater detail, so that you can learn a little more about it. We’re sure you’ll want to visit the village where it originated on a short holiday!
piment d’Espelette, a must-try
Contrary to popular belief, piment d’Espelette doesn’t actually come from the Basque Country! In fact, its origins lie in South America, but it was imported to the Basque Country in the 16th century. Piment d’Espelette was not used in cooking from the outset, as it was initially used for medicinal purposes. First, it arrived in kitchens to preserve meat and replace pepper in dishes.
This tasty pepper even ended up receiving AOC status in 2000, which has enabled it to be recognized as a high-quality product and production in the Basque Country is growing year on year.
Discover the city of this pepper
The piment d’Espelette has made its home in the village of the same name: Espelette in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region of France. Locals are particularly fond of its fragrance, which is the result of long sun-drying . But pilent has also won over to the point of producing its own derivatives, such as chocolate with piment d’Espelette or jelly!
Espelette is therefore a town where you can easily find this pepper and its many derivatives in the various stores. But that’s not all , chillies are also found in every home, so you can enjoy a town with chilli racks on the fronts of houses. From September onwards, you can admire the chillies garlanded along the facades and balconies throughout the village.
Festivities in Espelette
What’s more, every year Espelette organizes a pimento festival at the end of October (the last weekend). You’ll find plenty of activities and festivities around the chilli pepper, and it’s the ideal place to taste Espelette chilli pepper in all its forms!
Find more interesting facts about Foie Gras and the Basque Country on our Blog and tasty recipes in the Recipe section of our website!
