Description
Espelette chili pepper (Piment d'Espelette in French) is a variety of pepper that is cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, in the French Basque country.
If you visit Espelette, in the heart of Basque country, in August, you can see strings of these wonderful red peppers as they hang out to dry. Known locally as ezpeletako biperra, they're terrific because they are intense but not too hot. Espelette pepper is an essential ingredient in any dish à la basquaise, but you can use it in mayonnaise, vinaigrette, and many other dishes as well.
The plant, originally from Mexico and to a lesser extent South America, was introduced in France from the New World around the 16th century. After first being used medicinally, it has since become popular for preparing condiments and for the conservation of meat and ham. It is now a cornerstone of Basque cuisine, where it has gradually replaced black pepper and it is a key ingredient in piperade. AOC espelette peppers are cultivated in the following communes: Ainhoa,