Rouge Longpepper

Not for nothing is pepper from Kampot known as the “gold of Cambodia”. The mineral-rich soils, salty sea air and abundant rainfall of this coastal province provide the special geological and climatic conditions that give Kampot pepper its finely nuanced taste. On account of its excellent quality, the pepper has been awarded the World Trade Organisation’s sought-after Geographical Indication (GI) quality seal.

The best peppers in the world have been grown in the Cambodian province of Kampot for centuries. The pepper-growing tradition was interrupted by war and civil war, but in recent years it has been revived. Magnificent pepper plantations are again flourishing around the city of Kampot, the “pepper capital” of Cambodia; the tall green vines with billions of pepper berries are the dominant feature of the landscape.

The Kampot Rouge long pepper for the PEPPER COLLECTION of FINEST FOOD AGE is left to ripen for a long time before being picked by hand. Long pepper is a climbing plant on which flowers form between the leaves and fruits then develop from the inflorescences. These inflorescences look like the catkins of hazel or willow. After harvesting the pepper catkins are dried in the sun and carefully sorted by hand. This guarantees a top-quality product, with no broken infructescences, foreign bodies or impurities.

A sustainably managed relationship between farmers and trading partners ensures that farmers are paid fair prices while customers get reliable quality.

It is clear even from its appearance that the Kampot Rouge long pepper in the FINEST FOOD AGE PEPPER COLLECTION has nothing to do with the ordinary peppercorns found in the shops. The long, red catkins are the dried infructescences of the pepper plant that exude a delicate fragrance. This rare pepper is available only in limited quantities and can therefore be supplied only while stocks last.

Lang pepper is used mainly as a seasoning, but in the Ayurvedic tradition it is also considered to have therapeutic properties – it is reputed to have a rejuvenating and restorative effect.

While long pepper differs in appearance from ordinary round peppercorns, it is used in the same way. When cooking, the long catkins can be used whole. For freshly ground pepper it is best to break the catkins into smaller pieces before crushing them in the grinder.

The flavour of the Kampot Rouge long pepper in the FINEST FOOD AGE PEPPER COLLECTION is evocative of dried red berries, cardamom and nutmeg. It has a pungency that is gratifyingly warm but still has a sharp bite. This appealing combination of warm sharpness, a hint of fruity berry flavours and spicy, “Christmassy” taste notes make this pepper speciality the perfect seasoning for adding a particularly refined touch to all sorts of dishes.

Its richly nuanced taste notes make it equally well suited to hearty game dishes, pan-fried meat and grilled fish. It peps up pasta and adds an aromatic depth to stews.

And Kampot Rouge long pepper enriches desserts too: freshly ground onto choice fruit such as mangoes and strawberries, on delicious chocolate desserts or with cheese it adds a sharp accent and blends harmoniously into the amalgam of taste notes.

To ensure that it is particularly well protected from harmful environmental influences, the Kampot Rouge long pepper in the finestfoodage PEPPER COLLECTION is supplied in high-quality violet glass jars. Keeping this special jar tightly closed will ensure that the Kampot Rouge long pepper always has the dry and dark storage conditions that it needs.