What is Piment dEspelette
Piment d'Espelette, France
Piment d'Espelette comes from France, specifically from the French Basque Country, where it is also called Piment Pays Basque or in English, Basque Country Pepper. Only the pepper in its original jars may be called Piment d'Espelette; once it is repackaged, it is called Piment Pays Basque.
What does Piment d'Espelette taste like?
Piment d'Espelette is a very aromatic chili and therefore a gourmet pepper of the highest quality. On a heat scale of 1-10, it has a level of spiciness of 3 and is therefore considered mild. You can conveniently order Piment d'Espelette in our online spice shop.
This year, I embarked on a culinary journey through France to find out everything you need to know about this gourmet chili.
The Basque Country is located on the Atlantic coast and encompasses regions in Spain and France around the Pyrenees. It is a beautiful, green, hilly landscape, and on the day of my trip, I was blessed with bright sunshine and pleasant 25°C. I visited the French Basque Country in Nivetal (in the foothills of the Pyrenees) to see the production of the special Piment d'Espelette.
This gourmet chili is grown in 10 villages around the village of Espelette. These are Larresssore, Ainhoa, Halsou, Cambo-les-Bains, Jatxou, Saint Pée sur Nivelle, Ustaritz, Souraide, and Itxassou.
How the Chili came to the Basque Country
Originally, Piment Pays Basque comes from South America. In the 17th century, sailors brought the chili peppers to the Basque Country. Since 1650, the chili has been grown there. Over time, the Basques have perfected their cultivation methods, and the chili, which was initially used as medicine, is now, next to salt, the most important spice of the Basques..
It is also an important tourist attraction in the region and of great economic importance. Many shops offer chili and decorate their stores with fresh peppers. There are many different products available with the gourmet chili, ranging from sausage, salt, mustard, to liqueurs and chocolate.
Pleasure for the senses
The Cultivation
The cultivation of the spice is still done in the traditional way. Every year, in October, the seeds of the best plant are selected for sowing the next year. Sowing begins in February in greenhouses. The seedlings are then divided by hand into small pots..
From mid-August, the first red pods are harvested and washed before being dried for at least 15 days. For drying, they are placed in shelves with grids, which are located in greenhouses. The drying process intensifies their flavor and makes them ripen aromatically.
Before packaging, the chili peppers are carefully inspected and tested for quality..
Piment d'Espelettes: sensory characteristics
The sensory characteristics of Piment d'Espelette are as follows:
Smell - fragrance
- hay - dry hay
fruity - ripe tomatoes, red bell pepper
roasted, toasted
Eyes
grain size : smaller than 5 mm
color : orange/red, red, reddish
Taste
- sweet with a bitter note
spicy profile - warm feeling in the mouth
spiciness develops
taste develops and is consistent
Pungency medium
Culinary use
This chili is suitable for appetizers, main dishes and desserts. It is suitable for all dishes to which you want to give a subtle spiciness. It is versatile and has a distinctive taste. In France, people put salt and piment d'Espelettes on the table for seasoning. Try it too.