Long Pepper (Black) 2-5cm

Long Pepper is the dry fruits of the flowering vine Piper longum. With origins in Indonesia and India, it was highly prized in global trade before black pepper became the king of spices. Evidence of use in cooking dates back as far as Greece in the fifth or sixth century BCE. It was also an important spice in Roman times and was popular up until the 12th century when black pepper began to displace it. Some places have perfect  growing conditions which give the spice a great flavour and Cambodia & Vietnam are wonderful pepper producing nations.

Long Pepper also goes by the name pippali, if that’s what a recipe calls for! It is not so common in Western cuisine any more, but many medieval food re-enactors love if for spicing drinks and making authentic dishes. It is more common in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, flavouring pickles and various spice mixes. Flavours are warming, earthy and sweet with a spicy punch that can be hotter than black pepper. With hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, it’s a wonderful spice to experiment with in you cooking. We also have Tellicherry Black Peppercorns, Grains of Paradise, Cubeb Pepper and White Peppercorns, should be looking for something else!