White Kampot Pepper is one of the few peppers in the world to be produced from the full-grown red corns. Its subtle aroma and notes of citrus and eucalyptus seduce the great chefs and the amateurs.

White Kampot Pepper, the essence of Pepper

Cultivation method

La Plantation's White Kampot Pepper is one of the few peppers in the world to be produced from fully ripe red peppercorns. This production method is imposed on Kampot producers by the PGI designation. Their White Kampot Pepper is a rare, fine and delicate product. The red peppercorns are picked one by one on the bunch. They are then washed, scalded and spent one night in a vat of clear water. The skin surrounding the stone is then very soft and can be easily removed. The peppercorns are then washed several times and dried in the sun for two to three days depending on the amount of sunlight.

A Unique White Kampot Pepper

Unlike White Kampot Pepper, most of the white peppers produced in the world are made from green or black peppercorns. They must therefore soak sometimes for several weeks in order to remove the outer shell. This long maceration gives the white pepper a strong, animal smell that is not very pleasant for some people.

La Plantation's White Kampot Pepper is therefore differentiated by its true pepper aroma with a mentholated note.

PGI Kampot Pepper

The Kampot Pepper Geographical Indication (PGI) highlights the unique terroir of the Kampot region: its soil, tropical climatic conditions, proximity to the sea and maximum sunshine during the harvest season. The specifications of the Kampot Pepper appellation determine the qualities to be respected for each color of pepper. For the White Kampot Pepper, a manual selection is made grain by grain after drying, to keep only the large grains, of a beautiful beige color and eliminate all the grains that do not meet these criteria. The minimum size for White Kampot Pepper is 3 millimeters. Only beautiful peppercorns, with a nice light beige color, are sold as White Kampot Pepper.

The short soaking and natural drying phase in the sun give White Kampot Pepper its special taste and aroma.

Please note that the designation White Kampot Pepper does not imply that the seeds must be very white. If you see snow-white peppercorns on the market, it is not a natural color. The seeds will have been artificially blanched. The color of our White Kampot Pepper corns is creamy white to beige, light brown, and you can see small streaks on the seed.

A Long Tradition of Pepper in the Kampot region 

The Kampot region has been renowned for its pepper cultivation since the 13th century, but it was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the Kampot region experienced a real "pepper fever". During the colonial era, for the French, Kampot in Cambodia was synonymous with pepper, indeed most of the pepper consumed in France came from the region, benefiting from a favorable colonial customs regime with no quantity limits. The end of the protectorate and especially the Khmer Rouge civil war caused the virtual disappearance of pepper plantations in the second half of the 20th century. It is only in the 2000s that some family farms have revived the cultivation of pepper which has been redeveloped by cuttings. The current annual production of real Kampot pepper is about 100 tons.

Aromas

In the mouth, White Kampot Pepper develops an intense spicy taste with delicate notes of fresh herbs, eucalyptus, citrus and rosemary.

Recipe ideas 

It can be ground fresh on grilled or steamed fish, oysters, shellfish or seafood. White Kampot Pepper will add spice to your sauces or broths. Another advantage, highlighted by chefs, is its colour. Indeed, freshly ground White Kampot Pepper will not colour dishes, such as mashed potatoes or a white sauce.

Some recipe ideas for using White Kampot Pepper:

• Mashed potatoes à la Joël Rebuchon
• Just ground on an oyster or a raw or cooked scallop, a carpaccio of sea bass
• Mussels or marinated cockles (to be ground at the end of cooking)
• On a steamed fish or in papillotte

Advice for use

As with all our Kampot Peppers, we recommend that you do not mix the White Kampot Pepper with other colours of pepper, as you would with a fine vintage wine.

Once opened, we recommend that you store Kampot Pepper in a cool, dry place, away from light and moisture, so that it retains its full flavour and aroma. And to keep its aroma, the White Kampot Pepper must be ground or crushed at the last moment. For this, you can use a pepper mill with ceramic mechanism or mortar & pestle.

La Plantation

Created in 2013, La Plantation, a family-owned project, is committed to grow and deliver the best sustainable spices. In their flagship farm in the Kampot area in southern Cambodia, they follow century-old traditions to preserve the original taste of each spice.

They create new blends and recipes every year, bringing the unique Kampot terroir to tables around the world. Their production model embraces Fair Trade principles with all their partners and offer good working conditions to their employees. La Plantation train them regularly, to improve their skills. They follow Sustainable Agriculture practices through organic agriculture, permaculture, and crop rotation.