Madagascar pepper
At around 15° south of the equator and further south along the east coast as well as in the north-west of the island, pepper grows at varying elevations in the hot humid climate. Madagascar has some of the finest peppers, which are often highly acclaimed by master chefs worldwide.The three main types of pepper, originating from the same Piper nigrum plant, include:
- Black pepper - is picked shortly before ripe but while the fruit is still green. The
peppercorns are sun-dried for about two weeks until becoming dark-brown or black. The outer peel
helps preserve the flavour, aroma and nutrients, always making black pepper a spice best ground
when consumed.
- White pepper - is picked when fully ripe and when at least some of the berries on the
vine have turned red. The fruit is thereafter soaked and gently washed, removing the dark outer
peel, leaving only the pale seed. Since the outer peel, containing much of the spicy compounds,
is removed, white pepper becomes less hot.
- Green pepper - is picked before becoming fully ripe and when its fruit-pulp still has a slight eucalyptus-like quality. Green pepper has a milder taste than other peppers. Green pepper is consumed as a fresh product and does not have the same long shelf-life as black and white peppers.
Peppercorn, being the most commonly used spice in the world, is a commodity traded on stock markets by container loads. As a commodity can change hands while traders await the right times to sell, pepper is often stored in warehouses before reaching supermarkets. Pepper traded in bulk will likely lose much of its nutritional values and certainly flavours before being consumed.
To bypass the unnecessary trading routes, we offer high quality and fresh peppers directly from the farmers to retailers, chefs, catering services or even to consumers who appreciate quality pepper from Madagascar.
In addition to regular black, white and green peppercorn, we can offer:
- Madagascar Wild Pepper - locally known as voatsiperifery,
"voa" meaning grain and "tsiperifery" meaning the particular type of pepper. Scientifically known as Piper borbonense, this close relative of Piper
nigrum grows in the wild on vines reaching up to 20 metres. Similar in taste to regular black peppercorns, tsiperifery is comparably mild with a hint of refreshing eucalyptus-like aftertaste.
- Madagascar Pink Pepper - a Malagasy speciality, originally from the
Schinus terebinthifolia species,
belonging to the Anacardiaceae cashew family
of plants. This special pepper is not related to the Piper nigrum plant. It may cause allergic reactions
amongst people sensitive to nut allergies.
- Chilli pepper - belongs to the Capsicum genus of plants. Chilli pepper is used in sauces known as "sakay" in Madagascar..
