Cape long pepper (timiz)

This Cape long (bush)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 climbing plant with broad green leaves. In shrub form, it grows 2 to 4 meters tall. The inflorescence is spike-shaped. During the rainy season, the small flowers become hidden under the scales, beneath which the seeds are also trapped 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, with the stalk attached, and are traded both fresh and dried. To this long pepper to distinguish from the imported Indian long peppers (temist or farenji timiz) is what these indigenous people are 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 flowers from August to February and bears fruit from October to June. It can even bloom all year round if sufficient water is available.

In Ethiopia, capense grows alongside the Piper. also the Piper umbellatum, originally from South America peppersOort. Timiz is very popular in Ethiopia, in contrast to the South American pepper, which is hardly collected, let alone eaten. Incidentally, they are 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. For the farmers in Bonga, it is almost impossible to grow the peppers to dry in the sun, which does happen elsewhere. Sun drying takes ten to twenty days, depending on the number of hours of sunshine. The quality of sun drying is usually variable, because the conditions are difficult to monitor. . Usually the peppers therefore, after she to be cleaned, on a bed of wood and bamboo laid, to above to be dried over an open fire. This drying process takes but a few days, and takes place in a more controlled manner. The sun-dried peppers They are highly prized for their fresher color and more complex aroma, but rare.

Scent and taste

This long one pepper is not very sharp. The first impression you get of this pepper gets is that of a smoky, camphor-bitter pepper, a bit like the African cubeb or AshantipepperGradually, you also taste notes of tobacco and resin. These are the main flavor components:

• α and β-pine, woody pine scent, like cumin, juniper and hemp,
• sabinen, responsible for the woody, camphor-like flavor of, among others, black pepper
• germacrene 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

Due to its intense flavor, the pepper in Ethiopia rarely in itself, but in the spice blends berbere and mekelesha, a mixture of timiz, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, black onion seed and black cardamom.

The simplest way to long pepper to use, is the pepper to cut or break into pieces and then mortar or grind these pieces, for example in a coffee grinder specifically designated for grinding spices.

Cape long pepper Pairs excellently with lamb, goat, fresh goat cheese (in combination with olive oil and green herbs), duck, game, and generally with dishes in which cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg (ehuru) are (or can be) used.

Features:

• 100% pepperberries of the Piper Cape
  
• origin: Ethiopia

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams) and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
• Larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

• The jar is available in 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 in its entirety or broken. When you the pepper grind, grind your pepper then shortly before use, and store any excess ground in a well-sealable jar.
  
• the whole or broken pepper comes into its own best in stews, so that the pepper gets the time to integrate,
• add ground long pepper ready for your preparation at the very last moment

Save:

• save your long pepper in sealed 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 trace which supply an item originated from. It is listed on the packing slip and the invoice.