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Sold in our jars under the Local Spicery label “Espelette Pepper.”

Piment d’Espelette, a mainstay of many French Basque recipes with a following of gourmands around the world, offers an extraordinary bright, tangy flavor and moderate heat that dissipates quickly in the mouth. Grown in only 10 villages in the southwest corner of France, the French government recognized the unique qualities of Piment d’Espelette with the only “Appellation d’Origine Controlée” (AOC) designation ever bestowed on a spice.  Under this designation, the growing and production practices are strictly controlled.

• Only fruit from a single harvest from a single farm may be bottled in the same package.
• Piment d’Espelette must be designated by the farm and vintage (no blending).
• Piment d’Espelette Powder must be sold within two years of harvest to ensure freshness.
• All Piment d’Espelette is subjected to annual tasting by the AOC Syndicate.

Local Spicery’s Piment d’Espelette comes from the farm of Ezpela in Espelette, which features a microclimate with gentle temperatures in the summer, generous rainfall, and warm breezes.  The Ezpela family (Maritxu, Ramuntxo and their son Bixente) follow their family’s tradition of generations of farmers and producers of Espelette pepper.  They believe in sustainable agriculture, on a human scale, respectful of environment and traditions. They have won several awards in local competitions and general agricultural competitions at the agricultural fair.