The actual translation of the French Piment D’Espelette is “Pepper of Espelette”, a town in the Basque region of Southern France. These peppers are so renowned they have been endowed with a special protected designation by the European Union, reserved only for truly noteworthy products like the famous sparkling wine we know as Champagne. This distinction guarantees that only peppers grown in ten communities in the French Basque region may be officially labeled Piment D’Espelette. This famous pepper is the only pepper native to France making it even more special. 
 

The Piment D’Espelette is a three to six inch long red chili pepper with a cone like shape. It possesses a rating of 4,000 units on the Scoville Heat Scale, translating into a low to medium heat level similar to Hungarian Paprika. The Piment D’Espelette is harvested by hand in the Fall in September. Their flavor becomes intensified in the drying process and they turn a rich, deep red in color. The peppers are roasted in ovens and then are ground into a fine powder that is used extensively in place of Black Pepper in the Basque region. 
 

The Piment D’Espelette is celebrated annually in October during the festival of the Ezpeletako Biperra, Basque for Piment D’Espelette. During this time, the villages are decorated with festive strings of the dried and fresh peppers creating a wonderful atmosphere. The celebration features other Basque regional specialties like the famous Basque Ham, which also carries the protected designation by the European Union.
 

The Piment D’Espelette is a welcome addition to any kitchen adding depth and dimension to ham, chicken, stew, soup, meat, fish and vegetables.