The Espelette red pepper

Product traditionally cultivated in this region of the Pays Basque, red peppers are manually skewed on ropes fruit by fruit. Ropes are then suspended. A long time ago, after two or three months of drying, the peppers were burnt in an oven for dehydration. Once "burnt", peppers were crushed to make powder.

At the beginning, red peppers were used to spice up some chocolate recipes. Bayonne was in the 17th century the French capital of chocolate.

It is in the 17th century that Father Larramendy established the relation between the piper mina (piquant pepper) from Castilla, the Spanish pimenton, and the bipergorria (red pepper) from the pays Basque. They correspond to the pepper powder.

In terms of taste, the Espelette red pepper is between the Cayenne pepper and the mild pepper. It is at the 4th level of the Scoville scale which has 10 levels.

As early as the 18th century, Pays Basque hams were covered with the Espelette red pepper before drying. The Espelette red pepper was also used in blood sausage (boudin), pâtés, sausages and other delicatessen products. Generally, the Basque cuisine uses the Espelette red pepper instead of the pepper. Rich in spices, it is flavory before being spicy.

Since 1983, red pepper usage has been diversified thanks to the cooperative Biperra : whole in the vinegar, in brine, with spices or in sauces. With the Espelette red pepper mash, you can make salad dressings.

Espelette red pepper mash can be used as a mustard or a spicy ketchup. It can replace the mustard when you make a mayonnaise, it is then called a bayonnaise...