This Cape long (forest)pepper is a sharp, ripe pepper with a complex flavor. The catkins are much longer than the catkins of the Asian long peppers, on average about 10 cm long.
The Cape Long pepper (Piper capense) is a perennial, evergreen climber with broad green leaves. It grows to a shrub-like height of 2 to 4 meters. The inflorescence is spike-shaped. During the rainy season, the small flowers are hidden beneath scales that also trap the seeds during the winter. They resemble willow catkins.
The catkins contain round to oval seeds with a diameter of 2 mm. They are harvested whole in January, including the stem, and are sold both fresh and dried. To this long pepper to distinguish from the imported Indian long peppers (temist or farenji timiz) this native is called pepper abesha timiz, or simply timiz.,
The Cape Long pepper grows in a zone from West Africa to Ethiopia, and also occurs in South Africa, hence the botanical name Piper capense. In southern Africa it blooms The plant blooms from August to February and bears fruit from October to June. It can even bloom year-round if there is sufficient water.
In Ethiopia, next to the Piper capense grows also the Piper umbellatum, originally from South America peppersTimiz is very popular in Ethiopia, unlike the South American pepper, which is rarely collected, let alone eaten. People are, however, very fond of the Asian long peppers, which are usually sweeter, and are imported in large quantities.
Most timiz in Ethiopia comes from the Bonga rainforest. Due to the weather conditions, it is almost impossible for farmers in Bonga to harvest the peppers to dry in the sun, which is done elsewhere. Drying in the sun takes ten to twenty days, depending on the number of hours of sunshine. The quality of drying in the sun is usually variable, because the conditions are difficult to monitor. . Usually, the peppers therefore, after they cleaned, on a bed of wood and bamboo laid, to be above to be dried on an open fire. This drying process takes only a few days, and takes place in a more controlled manner. The sun-dried peppers are highly prized for their fresher colour and more complex aroma, but rare.
Smell and taste
This long pepper is not so sharp. The first impression you get from this pepper gets, is that of a smoky, camphorated-bitter pepper, a bit like the African cubeb or ashantipepperGradually, you'll also taste notes of tobacco and resin. These are the main flavor components:
- α and β-pinene, woody pine scent, as in cumin, juniper and hemp,
- sabinen, responsible for the woody, camphor-like flavour of blackcurrant, among other things pepper
- germacreen D, spicy woody
- α-cubeben, camphorous, like cubebpepper,
- β-caryophyllene, sweet spicy and woody
- safrole, sasafras aroma, also present in cinnamon and nutmeg,
Culinary use and preparation
Because of its intense flavour, it is used pepper rarely in Ethiopia in itself, but in the spice mixtures berber and mekelesha, a mixture of timiz, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, black onion seed and black cardamom.
The easiest way to long pepper to use, is the pepper to cut or break into pieces and then pound or grind these pieces, for example in a coffee grinder that you have specifically designed for grinding spices.
Cape long pepper combines excellently with lamb, goat meat, fresh goat cheese (in combination with olive oil and green herbs), duck, game and in general dishes in which cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (ehuru) are (or can be) used.
Features:
- 100% pepperberries of the Piper capense
- origin: Ethiopia
Assortment
- available in glass (30 grams) and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
- larger quantities on request
Gift wrapping
- The jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper.
- For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section.
General advice
- use long pepper whole or broken. When you pepper grind, grind your pepper then shortly before use, and store any excess ground in a tightly sealed jar.
- the whole or broken pepper is best used in stews, so that the pepper is given time to integrate,
- add ground long pepper at the very last moment to your preparation
Save:
- save your long pepper in closed packaging
- preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
- best before November 2027 (11-2027)
- This expiration date is an indication
Batch number
The batch number helps us track which batch an item originates from. It's listed on the packing slip and invoice.
