Cubeb Pepper

Cubeb Pepper are the dry fruits of the Piper cubeba plant, mostly growing in Java and Sumatra. Other names it goes by include Java pepper and the tailed pepper. This last name is because of its resemblance to black peppercorns with a stalk. Flavours are a complex mix of pepper, allspice, eucalyptus & mint, adding a wonderfully different flavour to dishes than regular pepper. This is another spice that has been around for centuries, mentioned in texts as old as those from the 4th century BC. Travelling with Arabic travellers, they came to Europe around the 17th century, dropping in and out of popularity. Unfortunately, cubebs are all but absent from the European market, with buyers having to seek them out in specialist shops.

Cubeb Pepper is a very important ingredient for those making recipes of old, especially medieval ones. It was used as a seasoning for meat or to spice drinks and sauces. You can also use them to add flavour to a vinegar for pickling  foods, giving it a unique twist. Some Moroccan recipes use Cubebs, and they are still popular across Indonesia. Other than that, they were used to flavour cigarettes and botanical drinks such as gin. Other great peppers we have include Grains of Paradise, Long Pepper, Tellicherry Black Peppercorns and Green Peppercorns.