The flavours of the Pays Basque
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Espelette peppers
Espelette is a picturesque inland village in the province of Lapurdi, known for its dried red peppers. This type of pepper is not at all hot and has a wide variety of uses. It is sold in powdered form, as a preserve, in vinegar or in olive oil. And it is used to make a multitude of products such as pâtés and sauces, among many others.
Strolling through the streets of this village is a real pleasure. Peppers hang from its picturesque houses, creating a postcard that is hard to forget. In addition, there are numerous shops and boutiques selling not only the famous peppers, but also many other local products.
Gâteau basque / basque cake
Gâteau Basque is a delicious cake from the region of Cambo (Lapurdi) that dates back to the 17th century. It was originally made only with millet flour, animal fat and honey, but later, around the 19th century, it began to be made with other flours and fruit fillings.
The Basque cake became increasingly popular thanks to the rise in the number of holidaymakers in areas such as Biarritz. Since then, this traditional dessert has been the star of all kinds of gastronomic fairs and has a museum in the beautiful town of Sara.
Ossau-Iraty cheese
Its name comes from Ossau
(Béarn) and the forest of Irati
(Navarre)
Ossau-Iraty is a thousand-year-old cheese whose name comes from the alliance between the Ossau Valley (Béarn) and the beech forest of Irati (Navarre). Made exclusively with natural milk from Basco-Béarnese or Latxa sheep, its main characteristic is its thick rind, which ranges in colour from orangey-yellow to ash-grey. Its flavour is typical of Basque sheep's milk cheeses, sweet and fruity with hints of olives, hazelnuts and figs. This cheese, which comes from livestock and shepherding traditions, is made in the traditional way, with a maturing period of 90 days.
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