Since the 13th century, Kampot, a southern Cambodian province in the foothills of the Elephant Mountains, has been known for the cultivation of the finest peppercorns in the world.
Piquant but floral with hints of eucalyptus and an extra-long finish, Kampot pepper is among a select group of food products whose names are protected by the European Union, receiving the coveted Protected Geographical Indication designation alongside ingredients such as Stilton cheese and Darjeeling tea.
The “king of spice” was considered too decadent for the Khmer Rouge communists of the 1970s, who uprooted Kampot’s peppercorn vines and enslaved local farmers.
