The Espelette AOP chilli is harvested in September and October. The rest of the year it is dried, ground, and packaged — and this is precisely the period that is most interesting to observe for anyone wanting to understand what this product means to the local economy. Around twenty producers work across the ten authorised communes of the AOP. Out of season, workshops are open, producers have time to talk, and prices are more reasonable. Some offer half-day tasting sessions: from virtual harvesting to comparative tasting of powders by intensity and origin.
Gastronomy