Gift Guide 2018: Pick of the Peppers

Pepper is too often overlooked.  We spend much more time thinking about how to grind it than we do about the spice itself. Which is strange, given that pepper is one of the world’s most-traded spices.

I used to buy special peppercorns from India, which were hand-picked and dried in the sun; I featured them in a Gift Guide about ten years ago. Sadly, I can’t find that particular pepper anymore. But this year I've found another fantastic peppercorn that makes just about everything taste better. 

These Cambodian red peppercorns come from Kampot, which has long been the favored pepper place for cooks. They have a fine fruitiness that reminds me a bit of the flavor notes in Habanero peppers (although they don’t have that heat).  Their floral quality adds an interesting note to all manner of dishes. One of my favorite ways to serve it? Sprinkled over ice cream!

 If you want to read more about Kampot peppers, here's an article from Serious Eats.  And if you think a seven dollar present requires a bit of embellishing, there are plenty of ways to bulk up this gift: a pepper grinder, more pepper, or perhaps a sack of this fantastic salt.