Piment d'Espelette PDO – 50g

Piment d'Espelette AOP – from Maison Ederki

Piment d'Espelette, this emblematic spice, is an essential and integral part of traditional Basque culture and cuisine. This very special chili from the Basque Country is spicier than conventional paprika but less spicy than cayenne pepper and has a beautiful orange-red color. The slightly smoky-tasting Basque chili, with its fruity, rather mild heat (heat level 4), perfectly seasons roasted chicken, goulash, and pan-fried dishes, Mediterranean fish and seafood, as well as egg dishes like pasta, scrambled eggs, or omelets.

Its quality is so intrinsically linked to its terroir that Piment d'Espelette has been protected by origin since 2002 and is permitted to bear the AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) designation. Piment d'Espelette (Ezpeletako biperra) is, incidentally, the only spice in France to be awarded this seal.

Piment d'Espelette AOP – Basque Chili

Only 10 communes in the western Basque Country belong to the protected cultivation area. Here, on the edge of the Pyrenees, in the valleys and on the hills around its village of Espelette, the Basque chili benefits from a special microclimate with mild summers with sufficient rainfall and a constant sea breeze. This climate resembles the subtropical climate of Mexico, where the Ezpeletako biperra chili originally comes from.

Maison Ederki – Delicacies from the Basque Country

For 80 years, Maison Ederki has been selecting the best culinary products from the Basque Country and its gastronomic culture. Its approximately 20 employees support local farmers and producers who create these first-class delicacies, helping them to make their products known beyond the region.

Le Pays Basque, the Basque Country, is located in southwestern France on the border with Spain. Bordered by the Cantabrian Sea in the north and divided by the Pyrenees, the Basque Country impresses with its breathtaking beauty: wild and untamed. A bit like its inhabitants, the Basques, with their strong will for independence, which is also reflected in their unique language (Euskara) and in their cooking pots. Cooking societies, known as "Sociedades," which are only accessible to men, can be found throughout the Basque Country. In San Sebastián, located on the Camino de Santiago, three *** star restaurants are located.

Besides Piment d'Espelette, Idiazabal sheep cheese and Chorizo are popular culinary souvenirs from Pays Basque. But numerous terrines made from Basque pork and canned seafood and olives, as well as typical Guindillas, also convey the Basque taste.