cheese, french or spanish
Cheese, french or spanish contributes salt, fat, and lactic depth that frame chile peppers, piments d'espelette's character without overwhelming it.
chile peppers, piments d'espelette
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A mild, sweet-spicy dried French Basque chile with AOP protection — fruity and aromatic with a bright, moderate warmth completely unlike the blast of cayenne.…
2 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Piment d'Espelette (AOP) is grown exclusively in the Basque region of southwestern France, dried on strings hanging from Basque farmhouses, and ground to a mild, fragrant powder. At 1,500–2,500 Scoville units, it provides warmth rather than heat — a gentle burn that builds gradually and disappears cleanly, with fruity, tomato-like aromatic notes absent from cayenne or chili powder. In Basque cuisine it replaces black pepper in eggs, piperade (the Basque pepper and tomato dish), and as a seasoning for the region's Bayonne ham. It is exceptional as a finishing spice on any dish where you want color, mild warmth, and aroma without aggression. The high price of the AOP product is somewhat offset by the fact that a little goes a long way — the powder's aromatic complexity means less is needed than would be used of cayenne or chili flakes.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
cheese, french or spanish
olive oil
cheese, french or spanish
Cheese, french or spanish contributes salt, fat, and lactic depth that frame chile peppers, piments d'espelette's character without overwhelming it.
olive oil
Olive oil adds richness and carries the aromatic side of chile peppers, piments d'espelette's character, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.
Olive oil adds richness and carries the aromatic side of chile peppers, piments d'espelette's character, making the pairing feel fuller and more cohesive.