Kampot Pepper is a particular plant and has only been successful grown in a small region of Cambodia. French chefs are big fans and the spicy peppercorns gained fame and popularity throughout the years. What we didn’t know before coming to the area is that pepper is eaten fresh, not just used as seasoning in cooked food.
Pepper vines grow hugging the side of brick towers, where their leaves swarm over the red surface until the support is barely visible. The towers are assembled in rows for convenience, in big plots. We had assumed pepper grows on a bush, but I guess we were wrong. The peppercorns grow like berries, and aren’t harvested until the plant is 3 years old, they just aren’t spicy enough.
Kampot Peppers come in red, black and white. Even Justin as a chef did not know the difference then, but we do now. Black peppercorns are green when they are first harvested but after three days of drying they crumple into those familiar black dots we all have in our kitchen. Red peppercorns are green ones simply left on the vine longer until they get that fiery color that is kept even after drying. The skin of them was surprisingly sweet, once you peel it off the intensely hot core that is! Lastly, white pepper corns aren’t anything different, black peppercorns with the skin removed to take the spice level down a notch.
After we wandered around the pepper towers for a bit, picking off corns here and there to nibble, we went up the hill to the plantation resort. While relaxing poolside we took advantage of our last chances to eat this special spice. Our table offered views of the surrounding valley and far off “secret lake” under the royal blue sky. Michele and I both agreed we felt like we were in California Wine Country. We are going to miss the hammock lifestyle of the Cambodian countryside, off to the big city of Phenom Penh tomorrow!
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