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In one of our recent posts, we revealed to you the mysterious pepper oil from Kampot pepper and looked into its health effects. This time, it will also be about this oil, but we will look at it from the perspective of production. Extracting the essence by distillation Black pepper oil from black pepper can be obtained either directly from crushed peppercorns, or it can be extracted from the pepper vines on which the peppercorns grow. In both cases, the key to obtaining the essential oil is the distillation process. Specifically, it is steam distillation, where steam under high pressure is filtered through organic material—in this case, parts of the pepper vine plant or directly the peppercorns. The oil is then separated from the water and bottled. The yield ranges between 1 and 4% of the total biomass volume. This is also why it is a relatively expensive product. The good news is that due to the high concentration of substances contained in pepper, only a few drops are enough for most uses. Easily soften the concentrated strength For some, however, this oil may be too strong. In such cases, it can be combined with other oils. It pairs very well with citrus oils and oils from flower petals. Suitable examples are orange, grapefruit, lemon, or bergamot, or lavender. Due to its pungency, you can also try combining it with essential oils of eucalyptus or tea tree. Try creating a blend of 20 ml sunflower or calendula oil, 10 ml St. John's wort oil, 1 drop of black pepper essential oil, and several drops of ginger and lemon essential oils. You will obtain a perfectly fragrant bomb that you can use for muscle stiffness and a whole range of other ailments, which you can read about in our articles.

With the new year, some resolutions inevitably come along, among which the goal to lose weight often appears. Many people therefore head to fitness centers, buy season tickets to the pool, exercise equipment for the comfort of home, or new running shoes. However, exercise is only part of the success. For the body to start effectively shedding fat reserves, it is necessary to change the diet and include ingredients that help with weight loss. One of these is pepper, or rather the substances contained in it, which can properly boost metabolism and immunity. Changing your diet is an indispensable part of the journey If you are trying to lose excess weight, it is necessary to include not only sufficient physical activity in your life but also a quality diet. Some statistics say that diet accounts for as much as 70% of the entire success. You can also influence the rate of fat burning with individual ingredients, and pepper is very effective in this regard. Pepper contains a substance called piperine, which causes not only the characteristic pungency of pepper but also affects some processes occurring in our body. This substance causes the mucous membranes to become well-perfused, which results in effective support of immunity and a boost to metabolic processes in the body. What can piperine do? Piperine supports the production of necessary acids in our stomach, which positively influences the digestion process. At the same time, essential nutrients are effectively released from the consumed food, and last but not least, it also helps to release toxins from the body, which again supports the weight loss process. It is good to choose pepper that has a truly high content of piperine. That is, pepper grown without chemical treatment, by traditional methods, and whose freshness is maximally preserved. Ideally, such pepper should be combined with turmeric, which can multiply its effects. You can enjoy piperine through pepper in your food or try our ginger shot, which combines the power of black pepper, turmeric, and on top adds the mighty strength of ginger, thanks to which no germ will catch you in this unfavorable weather.

Life is too short not to experiment with it. However, when you take the best pepper in the world and combine it with the greatest pasta treasure that Italy has, the result can be nothing other than a perfectly crafted Italian spaghetti concept. At the beginning, however, there was the question of whom to turn to with a request to create perfect spaghetti with a pepper base for us. In the end, we decided on a family business located in the middle of the Alpine massif Alpe della Luna near Tuscany. This is exactly where Pasta di Borgo Pace is based, where pasta preparation has been dedicated to for many generations. Local experts in the field of gastronomy and baking created a recipe for us that relies on several simple ingredients, which are crystal clear Alpine water, sunshine, and the highest quality hard wheat, and of course, the best pepper in the world grown in the Kampot province must not be missing. Processed by traditional methods The secret of the unique taste of the spaghetti lies, similar to our pepper, in the method of processing. The pasta is hung out immediately after production and dried at about 40 degrees Celsius. During this process, they gain their characteristic length and elasticity, which they acquire during 20 hours of drying. This process also defines their structure, which is not smooth like the pasta you are used to from the supermarket. Every Italian will tell you that for the sauce to hold well on the pasta, their structure must be rough and slightly floured. You do not have to fear that the roughness would transfer to the taste; on the contrary, these pastas are perfectly soft. This is also contributed to by the gentle stone grinding of semolina flour, thanks to which the flour contains fine wheat germ that softens the taste of the pasta and also provides a rich protein content. Pasta is ideal to pair with classic tomato or cream sauces, and you can never go wrong with a few shavings of Parmesan. And now there is nothing left but to wish you a good appetite.

The word tea can refer to any herbal infusion or decoction, although true tea is of course made from the leaves of the Chinese tea plant. Tea made from crushed peppercorns, however, is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to soothe sore throats and coughs. Pepper will help you get back on your feet Although it might seem that pepper only goes well with meat, in reality it offers us countless uses. You can endlessly experiment with it not only in the kitchen but it also comes in handy when we are not feeling our best. Pepper is indeed a great natural remedy for a variety of ailments. Today we will show you how to practically use the healing properties of the unique “tea” when you feel that something is coming on, your throat hurts, or you have a cough. The power of pepper hidden in simplicity Pour 250 ml of boiling water over one teaspoon of freshly crushed black pepper and let it steep. To make the resulting infusion taste as good as possible, it is good to flavor it with honey, ginger, and lemon, which also help fight germs. Let the ginger and pepper steep in the infusion for at least five minutes. If you want to achieve a truly strong effect, let the pepper boil in the water for a few minutes. The substances contained in black pepper lead to the release of free radicals, support blood circulation, relieve joint stiffness, and clear the sinuses. If you think pepper tea doesn’t make much sense, remember that it is one of the important ingredients of the very popular chai masala, which is drunk all over the world. You can also try a milder version – let the pepper boil in milk, which after adding honey also tastes very delicious. And if you prefer something sharper, try mixing a few Kampot peppercorns into your drink.

Black pepper is a spice that most of us associate with savory dishes. Who wouldn't imagine it on a proper piece of meat or with creamy pasta! But from us, you can already guess that quality pepper is also a great ingredient for sweet desserts or ice cream. And now we will show you that it perfectly harmonizes with sweet fruit, not just strawberries. The more sour, the better Black pepper perfectly harmonizes especially with fruit that has a pronounced acidity, such as pineapple, kiwi, or less ripe plums. Pepper can add a spicy undertone to the acidity, which slightly grounds and enhances the taste of sour fruit. Perhaps most commonly, however, black pepper is associated with red fruit, especially strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. The best way to enjoy this fruit with pepper is to prepare fruit parfaits, or simply sprinkle a little vanilla sugar on the fruit, add pepper, and serve. To soften the flavor, it is also never a bad idea to add a spoonful of cream or a bit of vanilla ice cream. Imagination has no limits - grill, bake, and fry With Kampot pepper and fruit, you can also create much more elaborate dishes. When you enjoy the last sunny rays of the year at the end of September surrounded by falling colorful leaves, try to brighten these moments with a plum cake with caramelized plums and a pinch of black pepper. Very unusual combinations also include strawberries with balsamic vinegar, ideally creamy, and black pepper. Close strawberries with these ingredients and a little fresh cream between two cookies, and you have a great summer dessert that will surprise every guest. And when you grill in the summer, try throwing a few peaches on the grill as well. Thanks to grilling, they become extra sweet. After taking them off the grill, lightly pepper them to create a flavor contrast and add a balsamic-lime dressing that adds fresh acidity to the sweet peaches. And if it gets too hot by the grill, you can cool down with simple popsicles made from strawberry purée with pieces of black pepper. This summer will simply be perfectly peppery. :-) Didn't find the right summer inspiration here? Follow us on Facebook or Instagram, where we also share pepper tips from our friendly restaurants and bloggers!

Pepper is an indispensable part of many world cuisines, including ours. However, even the most experienced local chefs and cooks might be surprised at how much true Kampot pepper can enhance the taste of traditional Czech dishes. It is, however, necessary to know how to work with pepper – especially with the exceptional pepper from Kampot – . Whole or crushed grains? It is generally known that while it is better to add most spices whole to slowly cooked sauces, when grilling or frying, it is better to apply coarsely crushed spices to meat or vegetables. This exact approach also applies to pepper. It is important to remember that  Kampot pepper due to its complex and strong aroma combined with pronounced spiciness, is better added to sauces in a form that will release its essential oils and flavor gradually. It is therefore good to put whole peppercorns into a cheesecloth and let them heat thoroughly in the sauce for a longer time so that through their hard shell they release their treasures slowly. However, if we want all the taste and scent of the pepper to quickly permeate the seasoning, it is good to take a Grinder and crush the pepper. Here it is also necessary to keep in mind that the finer the pepper is crushed, the more intense the flavor will be, and its spiciness will fully manifest. On the other hand, larger pieces of pepper will bring more exotic aromas and flavors to the dish. The right timing Proper timing is another very important factor. As mentioned before, whole grains release their aroma gradually, which means that for an intense flavor it is good to add whole peppercorns to the food as early as possible. In the case of crushed grains, it is ideal to add the peppercorns so that they heat up and release their essential oils but do not burn, because burnt fragments of pepper could become bitter and spoil the taste of the dish. When you add Kampot pepper directly on the plate, you will enjoy its aroma the most. We therefore recommend getting one of our  beautiful grinders, which are a lovely decoration for any dining table.

The most important spice in the world. This is how the small peppercorns can be simply described, which together with salt form the foundation of world gastronomy. Their taste is sharp, woody, and sometimes surprisingly bold, which enhances the flavor of the dishes to which they are added. The colors of pepper come from a single plant depending on the ripening time, and their proper combination with dishes is somewhat of an alchemical mystery that we will now try to unravel. Piper Nigrum, or black pepper vine, is the name of the plant whose fruits are commonly called peppercorns. This plant has a variety of subspecies that produce fruits with different flavor profiles. Moreover, different cultivation and processing methods affect its quality. It is divided into  black, white, and red pepper. Black Pepper The most widespread form of pepper spice is obtained by harvesting still unripe green or slightly yellowing peppercorns, which are then sun-dried. This gives them a characteristic ashy brown shade and a wrinkled texture. Kampot pepper is distinguished by its large and dark black grains—the darker, the better quality! If your pepper looks dull, it is a sign that it is old and flavorless. This pepper is pungent and very aromatic. Red Pepper The red color of red pepper is not a sign of spiciness but of delicacy. These are pepper fruits harvested at full ripeness. Its taste is characterized by softness and fruity tones, making it suitable not only for savory dishes but also for desserts. It pairs wonderfully, for example, with chocolate. Occasionally, you might find it in some drinks, to which it is also popularly added; unfortunately, it is often confused with the pink peppercorn from Brazil in South America. White Pepper The last representative of traditional peppers is white pepper, with a perfectly smooth structure lacking that wrinkled texture. This is due to the way it is obtained: after ripening, the red outer skin is soaked and then removed. Thanks to this, white pepper boasts a flavor that lacks the aggressive pungency but instead features floral tones with a slight hint of fermentation. White pepper is an ideal choice for milder light meats and, together with red pepper, perfectly complements fish and seafood. However, we use it for anything because it perfectly enhances the flavor of a dish without overpowering it. What exactly is green freeze-dried pepper? Green freeze-dried Kampot pepper with salt was developed by us as the first in the world on our Czech machines – simply put, we took fresh green pepper directly on the stem and without further drying, vacuum-packed it into a salt brine. This way, it was safely transported to us in the Czech Republic, where we freeze-dried it in Czech freeze-dryers – the taste remains the same as fresh pepper but is less intense and can be eaten just like that – by the little balls!

Do you remember the last time you terribly confused someone? That's exactly what will happen to you with our black pepper. If you expect it to be most similar to the pepper you buy in the supermarket, we recommend pouring out our and any other bag of whole black pepper onto a white plate and visually comparing the peppercorns at first glance. Pepper with a capital P A huge, hard, full, dense, juicy, dark black ball on one plate. A small, shriveled, dull, very light, empty, and possibly even broken ball on the second plate. Black pepper is the most well-known form of the fruits of the Piper nigrum plant. Our farmers handpick it at the beginning of the season as unripe green berries. The harvesting process of this pepper is the simplest among the three basic Kampot peppers – it is picked along entire stems, not just the berries, as is the case with red pepper. Thanks to natural fermentation and drying in the sun, the berries turn black and develop their full flavor. The dark black berries are soaked with intense scents of eucalyptus, thyme, mint, and the camphor typical for Cambodia with tones of sweet pears. When ground, the berries also gain a fresh hint of citrus, which is why Italians love it on their pasta. What to create with black pepper in the kitchen so it’s not boring It definitely won’t be. On the contrary, its complex full pepper flavor makes it a bestseller that you can use almost on anything without having to think long about pairing it with food. Fry, grill, stew, preferably with meat! Black Kampot pepper likes these heat treatments and shines even more. It suits steaks, red meats, classic sauces, soups, but above all any pasta. Without our pepper, most Italian restaurants can’t start their day! In Czech cuisine, it is the most popular of all peppers – it highlights the taste of classic svíčková (marinated beef) as well as strong goulash.