Piment d'Espelette Basque Country - A chili for gourmets
Piment d'Espelette from the French Basque Country is a chili for gourmets. This delicate chili variety, Capsicum annuum var. Gorria, has been grown since 1650 in the French Basque Country. The word Gorria is Basque and means red. These chili peppers are iridescent red in red, about 7-14 cm long, are elongated with a rounded tip. The dried chili pods turn dark red to reddish brown. The spice obtained is called in Basque “Ezpeletako Biperra”.
Its origin
This aromatic allspice comes from the French Basque Country from the village of Ustaritz - the Aquitaine region. The plant, Capsicum annuum var. Gorria, has its origins in South America and was brought by Columbus to France. Here, in the Basque Country, this delicious allspice has been cultivated since 1650 and is used for preserving meat and as a condiment. It is an aromatic chili in which the taste and not the sharpness is in the foreground.
Basque Country Ustaritz: The cultivation
The cultivation of French allspice is still traditional today. Every year the seeds of the best plant are selected for sowing next year. The Basque Country pimento is dried on the facades of the entire region.
Before this chili is processed, it is thoroughly inspected and scrutinized for its quality.
Piment d'Espelette: its aroma
The flavor of the French chilli piment d'Espelette is best described as follows. It smells of dry hay and ripe, roasted fruity tomatoes and peppers. It also has a nice red color and tastes sweet with a bitter touch. The taste of the French Piment d'Espellte Basque Country is uniquely aromatic with a medium sharpness.
Culinary use of French Chili
Pimento Basque Country is suitable for appetizers, main dishes and desserts. It is suitable for all dishes that you want to give a fine sharpness. The French chili is versatile with its unmistakable taste. In Ustaritz, you put salt and allspice on the table to spice up. Try it too.
The Piment Espelette comes from the village of Espelette which is 9 km away and may only be sold in its original packaging under this name.
In the village Espelette every year a festival is celebrated in honor of the pimento. This festival takes place on the last weekend of October. It is a beautiful festival and it is worth visiting if you are there at this time.
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