Piment d’espelette is more commonly seen as a dry powder, but we love this paste for its vibrancy and robustly juicy flavor. Emblematic of French Basque cuisine, the espelette pepper is a medium to medium-hot pepper, with a very round, fruity flavor. It has a bit of that “spicy” flavor initially, but with a heat that doesn’t linger. The fruity flavor that it’s known for is sort of a cross between fruity Fresno chilies and earthier dried guajillo or ancho chiles, so it’s very flexible and can work well with pretty much any cuisine. A bit of vinegar keeps it bright in flavor (and acts as a preservative) without overpowering the flavor.

Only sourced from the mountainous Espelette region of France, this chili pepper powder is brighter, fresher and fruiter than your typical paprika. It has a gentle warmth that won’t overwhelm the palate as well as a distinctive sweet, fruity taste—which sets it apart from the many chile peppers that lead with earthiness. The peppers grow from May to August before being harvested, separated and cleaned by hand. They are dried in the open air as it develops its wonderful flavor then gently crushed in the oven to a vibrant powder.