Lampung Peppercorns

In 2019 I visited some coffee producers in India and for the first time got to see peppercorns growing on the vine. I was staying at Balanoor Estate with the amazing Kuriyan family. I went for a run around their tea plantation, stopping to nibble bright red ripe pepper that had the heat of peppercorns with an added fruity taste. So amazing. I came home and imported pepper (and tea) from the farm to sell at DoubleShot.

Today, we've developed a years-long relationship with a company in Taiwan that grows and exports tea, and supplies us with a fantastic array. And this year they sourced peppercorns for us. These are outrageous. From the Lampung region of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, it's a blend of pepper produced by smallholder farmers in the area. You've never had pepper like this. Crushed or ground, it explodes with fragrances of tangerine and cantaloupe. It sits on the palate like aleppo pepper: a bit hot, but fruity and earthy.

Fresh peppercorns are unlike anything you'll find on the grocery store shelves. Try these cracked on a bison filet. Oh, that's good.