Hotter than Hungarian paprika but not so hot as cayenne, with a whisper of smokiness (but less than Pimenton de la Vera), this distinctive red pepper is one of the most useful and tasty to keep on your shelves! In French Basque country where it's from, Espelette is commonly chosen over black pepper, but the pepper is also popular with chefs all over France for its pleasantly prickly but not aggressive heat.

Use it wherever you need a dash of hot (but not killer hot) pepper flavor!

Espelette Region A.O.C. Label
The gastronomical fame of the Espelette region extends through all of France, thanks to its famous pepper, the true "red gold" of the region. This pepper arrived in French Basque country as far back as the 17th century, but it wasn't until the 19th century that the area became famous for beautiful red peppers.

Espelette is today a Label of Controlled Origin (A.O.C.), comprising a region with a mild oceanic climate, especially favorable to the growth of peppers. In 1999, the Espelette pepper became the first spice in France to receive the AOC label, as "Ezpeletako Biperra" in the Basque language.

Traditional Methods of Preparation
The Basque hang pepper chains to dry during all of autumn. After this initial drying, the pepper is passed through a furnace for further dehydration, then hot-crushed to the desired grind.