black Kerala pepper

Black Kerala Pepper from Altes Gewürzamt, ethereal and fresh

Altes Gewürzamt sources its black Kerala pepper from India, where it grows in the region around the Periyar River. It has an ethereal, bright aroma, carries a moderate, never-overpowering heat, and was considered Ingo Holland’s favorite among all black peppers.

Black Kerala Pepper is the most aromatic black pepper in the Altes Gewürzamt range. Abundant essential oils in its wrinkled skin account for its fragrance, while the heat of the kernel remains pleasantly moderate, accompanying the seasoning of a dish rather than masking it.

Floral fragrance and a heat that accompanies

Something floral rises immediately from the mill, clearer and brighter than in stronger varieties, and this scent lingers right onto the plate. On a seared beef steak, you will taste the Kerala before you even feel its heat.

This is due to the ratio of two components. Piperine is primarily in the kernel and provides the heat, while the essential oil is in the skin and provides the fragrance; this particular origin yields an especially rich oil content.

When placed next to its peers, the difference becomes clear. The black Tellicherry pepper has a larger grain and is nuttier, the Belem is denser and earthier, and the Kerala is brighter and more dynamic. Three peppers of a single species, yet three distinct signatures.

For beef, dark sauces, and ripe tomatoes

It stands up well to robust companions like beef and game, dark soups and sauces, and it pairs just as happily with ripe tomatoes and good olive oil. A leaf salad with lemon also suits it well because its bright character absorbs the acidity instead of covering it up.

The olive oil is no coincidence, as the pepper’s aromatic compounds dissolve in fat, not water. In a clear broth, the same amount would dissipate, while in a creamy sauce, it carries the entire dish.

The grind size also makes a difference; coarsely ground, the Kerala remains floral, while finely ground, its heat comes to the fore because more of the kernel is exposed than the skin. For beef tartare, use it coarsely; for a light sauce, use it finely.

Two turns of the mill right at the end are always worth it, as the pepper loses exactly what you chose it for during long cooking times. You will find a fruity counterpart in the red Kampot pepper from the same pepper selection by Altes Gewürzamt.

From the liana in the mountain forest to the mill

Kerala is the original home of black pepper, and in the mountain forests of the Western Ghats, it still climbs as a liana up support trees to this day. Their shade and the monsoon allow the berries to ripen slowly, which benefits the aroma.

Harvesting takes place between December and February, by hand and from ladders, cluster by cluster, because the berries on a single cluster ripen unevenly. The more carefully they are harvested and dried, the clearer their fragrance shows later on—and these are exactly the origins that Altes Gewürzamt seeks out for its mill peppers.

For millennia, pepper traveled from here to Europe, first via caravans and later by sea routes. The trade in it is older than any road that leads there today, and there is a reason why the wealthy of medieval Europe were called "pepper sacks." In Kerala, the spice is still called black gold, and black Kerala pepper is part of the range from Altes Gewürzamt.