The power of pepper. One plant, 4 peppercorns.

Did you know that one pepper vine can yield 4 distinct pepper varieties? Find out how each type of true Kampot pepper is grown, harvested and processed and what that means for your plate and palate!

The most important spice in the world. The 'KING OF SPICE' or 'black gold' as it was known in centuries past.

That's a simple way to describe the small peppercorns that, together with salt, form the basis of the world's gastronomy. Their taste is pungent, woody and sometimes surprisingly cheeky, which enhances the flavor of the dishes to which they are added. Depending on the ripening period, a single pepper plant produces a number of colors, and combining them correctly with dishes is a bit of an alchemical mystery, which we will now try to unravel.

Piper Nigrum, or black pepper tree, is the name of the plant whose fruits are commonly known as pepper spice. This plant has a number of subspecies which produce differently flavored fruits. In addition, different cultivation and processing methods affect its quality. It is divided into black, white and red pepper.

Black Kampot pepper

The most widely used form of pepper spice is obtained by harvesting the still unripened green or slightly yellowish fruits of the pepper tree, which are then dried in the sun. This gives them their characteristic ashy brown hue and wrinkled texture. Kampot pepper has the privilege of having huge, dark black peppercorns - the blacker the better! If your pepper is greyish, it is a sign that it is already old and tasteless. This pepper is pungent and very aromatic.

Red Kampot pepper

The red color of pepper is not a sign of sharpness, but of mildness. These are pepper fruits harvested at full maturity, left on the vine as long as possible to allow for the sweetness to develop as much as possible.

Its taste is characterised by its mildness and fruity notes, which make it suitable not only for savoury dishes but also for desserts. It goes well with chocolate, for example. Now and then you can also find it in a drink, to which it is also popularly added. However, unfortunately very often it is confused with pink pepper in the form of the Brazilian pink peppercorn from South America also known as 'false pepper'.

White Kampot pepper

The last variant of the traditional peppers is the white pepper, with an absolutely perfect texture lacking that wrinkle. This is due to the way it is obtained, in which the red skin is soaked and then removed after maturing. As a result, the white pepper boasts a flavor that lacks the aggressive pungency, but rather has floral notes with a slight hint of fermentation. White pepper is an ideal choice for milder, lighter meats and, together with red pepper, it also perfectly complements fish and seafood. But we use it for anything, as it perfectly enhances the flavors in the food without overpowering them.

To see just how white pepper is acquired, check out this video.

Character profile of Kampot pepper

Compare and contrast the different types of Kampot pepper: black, white and red when you are looking for a new way to spice up a dish or drink :)

And let's not forget about green Kampot pepper!

.pepper..field in partnership with EU Land developed the world's first green freeze-dried Kampot pepper with salt. We took fresh green pepper directly from the stalk and packed it in a brine without further drying. This way it arrives directly and safely from Cambodia to Europe and where we freeze-dried it on freeze-dryers. This whole process encapsulates the taste, keeping it the same as fresh pepper, but it is not so pronounced. You can eat it like the locals in Cambodia, individually, peppercorn by peppercorn!

And there you have it - 4 completely unique variations of peppercorns. Each from one vine. Each one compliments a different food, dish, drink, dessert.

Enjoy! ???????(chhnganh)