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Matteo de Carli and other Michelin-starred chefs fundamentally use pepper grown in Kampot in their kitchens. The reason? Its unique flavor, which can elevate any Michelin dish to the highest level. However, you don't have to be a star-decorated chef to create a dish using Kampot pepper that everyone who tastes it will love. Kampot pepper is nowhere near similar to the peppers bought in supermarkets Its taste is more specific and much more intense, which is also why it deserves a previously unseen place in dishes. To let the flavor of Kampot pepper stand out, it's not necessary to use grams and grams of this precious spice. It is enough to pair it with the right ingredients. A perfect example that the power of pepper can lie in simplicity is the Japanese recipe for preparing edamame pods. Thanks to the pepper, they acquire an incredibly delicious taste in which exotic flavor tones exported from Cambodia are expressed. When using pepper, it is always necessary to remember that, like salt, it intensifies the flavor of ingredients. At the same time, it also changes it. It gives it that slightly earthy and exotic taste, which is the secret known to famous Michelin chefs. It may seem strange, but the taste of pepper is not only suitable for traditional savory dishes Pepper can effectively support the flavor of desserts or mixed drinks as well; you just need to experiment a bit. Believe, however, that crushed peppercorns combined with strawberries will immediately attract the attention of all your guests and seat them comfortably. Don't be afraid to also use the decorative qualities of pepper. Chicken prepared in a hard pepper crust or peppercorns casually lying in fresh pepper sauce are matters that will please not only the taste buds but also the eye of the diner. In short, don't be afraid of pepper, get to know it, play with it, discover completely unknown culinary possibilities with it, and surprise those for whom you most love to cook.

This is not a fairy tale, but thanks to its epic, almost unbelievable story, it could be one. About how the guys from  the Landcraft craft distillery do their job more than well, we all could be convinced last year when our joint .pepper..gin just flew off the shelves. This year, our friendship decided not only to spice it up but to add the intoxicating scent of chocolate and Sicilian oranges. Let Ondra from Landcraft speak, who beautifully wrote down our shared story, the journey that ended with the creation of a new category of circular distillates: nøGin. Or did it just begin? “We found Mr. Olšák... ... he imported organic products from Sicily, ran a gym in Mělník, and probably had orange juice vending machines everywhere. I explained to him what we were about, and he kept frowning: look, don’t take this the wrong way, but I just don’t want to sell you oranges just so you can peel the skins off them. This has to be solved somehow. Let me think it over. The next day he called us again: You know what? I’ve got it. Every Friday and Saturday I make fresh juice at the Holešovice market hall. I throw the peels into bags and then the bags into the trash. When you want them, you can always pick them up on Saturday after noon. And that was it. Although it meant going to the market hall every Saturday, it was manageable on a rotating basis,” and so the peel of Sicilian oranges entered this story first, the only one Landcraft has been using in their distillates since 2019.  “Michal Herůfek shows us his family chocolate factory, a producer of chocolate pralines, a melangeur, and many other wonders. Then we move on to the process of purchasing cocoa beans, their fermentation, and roasting. Here is the roaster. Here the skins are peeled off those beans. We put those into these bags. Wait! Waste? Circular eyes will enlighten us. Michal, would you give us these bags? In the following weeks, we try extracting and distilling cocoa skins. We use Petr’s education in organic chemistry, vacuum, fat separators, and other tricks so that cocoa butter, which the skins are full of, does not get into the final product. In the end, we succeed, and the result is a distillate that smells like freshly poured hot chocolate.” You already know chocolate from the Herufeks well from us in connection with our Kampot pepper. We could imagine this combination also in alcohol, so we said: why not. What is negin? "When Klára and David then come up with the question of whether we are ready for the next .pepper..gin. edition, we try to persuade them that it doesn't have to be gin. Look, today anyone can make gin. Let's try negin. What is negin? Simply something like gin, only you don't put juniper in it," What? Is that possible?  The guys explained to us that yes, it is. That gin is a category of juniper-based distillates, whose taste everyone can imagine. However, there are huge differences among individual gins: in some, there may be so little juniper that it is practically unnoticeable. Their core is formed by other herbs and additives. But the name gin is so significant that they don't omit it.  Our nørGin shows that it doesn't need a category, but it doesn't hide its origin. It is characterized by distillation in ultra-fine alcohol, where all three essences – green Kampot pepper, chocolate, and orange – were extracted separately beforehand. We found out that juniper is not needed at all for this distillate to be complex in taste and aroma. A normal label would be quite boring, we said. So we finished this rebellious work at the Butterflies&Hurricanes art house, where the artists designed the right, distinctive... A label? Not at all. These are fragments of our story. There are 19 of them in total, and only you can choose what form your nørGin will take. They represent the basic values of all of us who stand behind nørGin: circularity, ecology, sustainability, love for the planet, for our work, and for the people around us. And the recommendation from the guys at Landcraft? "Alone? Divine. With tonic? Brilliant." And we just add that the absolutely brilliant tonic is precisely their To_Nic, or the grapefruit soda from Imperial. :-)

We have been happy to show you for a few years now that even design objects can be useful or even sustainable. Now we are coming with another novelty in the form of gift sets and stands made from rescued cardboard here in the Czech Republic, bringing you proof that recyclable material can be a luxurious and design packaging. It just takes a few educated and skillful hands! Yes. Our new gift sets and stands for glass test tubes with Kampot pepper were once really made of cardboard intended for simple processing by pressing. However, fate is not always scientifically straightforward, and so this cardboard was taken in hand by skillful people and sensitively transformed into design pieces with an original and minimalist look that you will want to show off. Sustainability, lightness, and practicality. Fall in love with us! Gentle on forestry The rescued cardboard used for our sets has FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, which simply guarantees that the products support the most environmentally friendly forestry. This certificate largely prevents illegal logging in forests in our country and throughout Europe. From the very beginning, our packaging has been maximally sustainable and environmentally friendly. The five-layer to seven-layer corrugated cardboard used for the special hardened cardboard can also be recycled up to three times, which helps the basic goal of this idea: to avoid unnecessary waste! The durability of the material resembles solid wood And what if I spill water on my stand? No problem! Our gift Package and accessories made from rescued sustainable cardboard have a special surface treatment, and thanks to it, they are ready to serve you for several years and be one of the most durable materials you have at home. They are not afraid of water. It’s clear that you probably won’t make a boat from them, but a little water on the kitchen counter really won’t destroy them. After all, it is the same material from which Kartoons, for example, create seats and heavy-duty furniture. ☺ Some models are additionally reinforced with other materials, such as MDF boards or wooden strips, which ensure greater durability. Also, our gift boxes and stands are reinforced with beautiful, design oak boards, making them extremely sturdy. A collaboration that warms the heart For cooperation, we choose Czech companies whose products are unique, mindful of the environment, and about which we know that our joint result will be worth it. We immediately fell in love with the minimalism that Kartoons brought to the market and broke into major design houses both here and abroad. We have a weakness for natural materials, as our flagship product, which is Kampot pepper , nature itself gave it to us with the help of farmers. Everything is handmade, everything is maximally gentle and cared for by kind hands that know how to make quality products and design gems. Did you know that... ... the first collection of cardboard products (including furniture) appeared in the world as early as the 1970s? Even decades ago, people knew that cardboard is definitely not ordinary paper. Cardboard has an incredible strength and load-bearing capacity, it is light and easy to work with. Thanks to modern techniques using lasers, real design gems can be created from it, and it can fully utilize its potential to become a perfect accessory in the household.

Engraving is an option for you to make a close person or a business partner happy. For us, it is an opportunity to adapt even more to your needs and create a tailor-made gift exactly as you want it. In the past, messages were hand-carved – now, thanks to this technology, we can engrave a message, logo, quote, or even an ornament with absolute precision and speed. Even in modern times, a personal message is something your partner, friend, or client will appreciate more than an ordinary gift bought in a store. This controlled engraving also delivers a perfectly precise and flawless result. And with us, it smells like a campfire. :-) Because you are very interested in engraving on our sets with Kampot pepper especially now before Christmas, we have prepared a selection of the most frequently asked questions for you: What kind of design can I have engraved? Messages, monograms, dedications, dates that you write to us. It is important to consider what will look nice on the box. From our experience, these are usually short dedications, names, or a short quote of up to five words. What font can I choose? We usually engrave with a font that best suits our wooden box and conveys a feeling of elegance and handcrafted work. If you have a special request, we will gladly handle it individually and customize the engraving to your requirements. On what material will your message be engraved? We offer engraving on any wooden gift set with Kampot pepper. On the solid and flat lid, the message stands out best, and the recipient will have a beautiful keepsake for a lifetime. Engraving your gift truly creates a beautiful personal memory. How much will it cost me and when will the package reach me? We offer engraving free of charge with our gift sets. Once the order is processed through our system, we start working on it. All sets intended for engraving are assembled once a week, so yours will reach you within 10 business days. If you are in a hurry, you can pay extra for express engraving, which we handle immediately and ship within 48 hours. How can I order engraving? On our e-shop, there is a special section where we show you all the sets on which it is possible to engrave a message. You simply add engraving to your cart just like your selected product. Then just write your personal message in the note, and that's it! Then just complete the order. How can I check the engraving when the gift is packed? If we engrave the gift set, we do not wrap it in black paper. This is so you can check your message with your own eyes and not give someone something you haven’t seen yourself. The set will still be beautifully hand-assembled and tied with our black ribbon. What if I am a company and want a large quantity? For companies, organizations, and agencies, we gladly engrave logos on our gift sets according to their choice. We do everything tailored to the maximum so that your client or business partner is satisfied and enjoys both our premium Kampot pepper and the luxurious feeling of the gift Package. We can handle your orders expressively even in quantities over 500 pieces. With us, it works like this: we always discuss together what would be best and fine-tune everything down to the last detail so that you are satisfied. Then we start working on your story to give it a beautiful continuation. Our greatest pleasure is when you share with us the joy of your family member, partner, or friend who received one of our engraved gift sets with Kampot pepper from us! Because happiness and joy (and our pepper) are the true spices of life.

We stand by the motto that when something is done properly and with love, it is always noticeable. The quality and practicality of our gift sets are appreciated by you every year, showing us that doing something honestly really makes sense. Let's remind ourselves what makes our gift truly personal and who is behind delivering a quality and original product to you. Handcrafted Czech Glass and Wood From the very beginning, you can be sure that everything has gone through a human touch, which imprints something into the product that no machine can. Because we cooperate with masters in their field, our work is done precisely down to the smallest detail. The test tubes made of Czech glass, which we produce in a small Czech glassworks, undergo multiple quality checks before glassmakers hand-stamp them with the double black signature .pepper..field and they begin to be finally filled with our Kampot pepper in a protected workshop. You can be sure that every wooden box made in Czech Polička, in which you receive our pepper treasures, is hand-assembled by skilled hands. Design Pieces Save Czech Forests and Help We have been happy to show you for several years now that even design items can be useful or even sustainable. Now we come with another novelty in the form of rescued cardboard here in the Czech Republic, providing you proof that not all recyclable material necessarily has to end up in collection. All cardboard products also have FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, which simply guarantees that the products support the most environmentally friendly forestry. Our beautiful luxury bag, in which your gift will arrive, is also hand-assembled here in the Czech Republic. It is made from paper obtained in an ecologically friendly and economically viable way (also meets FSC certification). Its luxurious black satin ribbon is a joy to untie because it always hides something beautiful inside. All Our Products Are Treated Like Cotton Wool All hand-processed sustainable materials at .pepper..field are lovingly cared for further. Parcel boxes are made of recycled cardboard and are assembled together by a protected workshop. The final touch to ensure your gift arrives beautifully wrapped is always taken care of by our team. They place silk black paper into the wooden boxes and wrap all our products in it. Solid wood mills are specially packed with the utmost care by our pre-packaging team to guarantee that your package arrives 100% intact! Just add our brochure so you can discover the whole world of .pepper..field with us, instructions for your new mills that you can lovingly care for, and write a message intended just for you. What will be in it? That’s a surprise. :-) Cooperation That Makes Sense Our other pepper products are developed in collaboration with local smaller companies that, just like us, do their work with love. You can taste chocolate with our Kampot pepper from the family chocolate maker Herufek in Čejč, pepper gin from the small craft distillery Landcraft, nut butter with Kampot pepper from Barenuts, purely plant-based custom workshops from Prostějov, or dried meat Biltong with Kampot pepper from Maso Here. We are open to all good ideas and enjoy coming up with more pepper products that you will love! And we must not forget the most important thing. Our Kampot pepper, which is the purpose of it all. Hand-picked by farmers in Cambodia, whom we take care of. The love with which they tend to every peppercorn is evident throughout the entire presentation of our brand .pepper..field, which tells you this whole story. The meaning of traditions is their continuation. And although it takes effort and time, it is a joy for us to pass on everything behind it to you all in our gift sets.

Sometimes people embark on projects that they initially consider just an experiment and don't have too many expectations from. This is exactly how the story of our freeze-dried pepper started, which became one of the best gastronomic delicacies in the world. You no longer have to go all the way to Cambodia for fresh pepper Its story began at the moment when we were pondering how to offer customers the taste of fresh peppercorns. The taste of fresh green berries is significantly different from that of subsequently dried grains. How to do it? If we had simply harvested, packed, and shipped fresh peppercorns to Europe, they would have arrived from Asia in a condition definitely unsuitable for consumption. Kampot pepper is an organic product that has no protective layer of pesticides. Therefore, it was first necessary to come up with a way to preserve the peppercorns and prepare them for the long journey. Our helper in this task was a special brine made from fleur de sel. We designed its recipe so that it could maintain the freshness of the fruits during their long journey while significantly not altering the unique taste, which was the alpha and omega of the entire project. On the contrary – to enhance this taste! He came, he saw, he was fresh, and he conquered The next task came when we opened the fresh, marinated pepper from Cambodia at home. We had to think about how to get it to customers in the freshest possible form. Leaving the fruits in the brine was one solution, but it did not meet our requirements for shelf life and quality. So what next? The answer appeared essentially by itself when Lukáš, one of our co-founders, started talking during the For Gastro fair with Lukáš Zach from Zach's pesto & chilli. Lukáš already had extensive experience with so-called lyophilization, which, according to him, could be the solution. And he was right! After numerous attempts to freeze-dry the peppercorns, we finally succeeded in creating a unique product and a world rarity that won the Golden Fork award for its taste, the equivalent of an Oscar in the world of gastronomy.  Discover its unique, natural taste yourself.

Although at first glance it might seem that .pepper..field is primarily about pepper, in reality the foundations on which it stands are much more robust. To understand them, it is best to carefully follow our activities, how through pepper we fulfill our sustainable goals and help pepper growers in distant Cambodia. Endless possibilities There are several ways to become part of our entire pepper family, and the more you choose, the closer you will be to us. The ideal start is to purchase some of our products, which will show you just how exceptional the pepper from the Cambodian Kampot region really is. Try the classic dried peppers or our specially prepared peppers, which score in the most prestigious gastronomic competitions! Also indulge in some  pepper delicacies that we produce here in the Czech Republic for your most demanding gourmet taste buds.  What else awaits you this year? New gift set designs Chocolate novelties with pepper Fantastic pesto ... but also our rebellious nØGin. And it's definitely worth waiting for that! However, this is just the beginning. For the very best idea of everything happening around us, it is ideal to follow us on some social media channels. Whether you prefer Facebook or favor Instagram, you will find daily information fresher than just picked clusters of green peppercorns from the pepper vine. Including the fact that we have just added new limited editions to the e-shop, which you can get your hands on first. Be with us! Through these networks we share with you our successes and failures, current emotions, and the best culinary events just requested, where besides us you will find a whole range of other incredible projects from the entire gastronomic scene. At the same time, we also travel to Cambodia, to the places where the story of your pepper from .pepper..field begins. So don’t hesitate and start following us today so you don’t miss anything. By the way, did you know that we also have beautiful  newsletters? They will regularly accompany you with news, benefits, and the very best that our pepper world offers, right after your first purchase.

It has been three years since we decided to follow the legacy of the old seafarers and start importing the best spices in the world to Europe, pepper from Kampot. During that time, we have established cooperation with hundreds of farmers, dozens of the best chefs from around the world, received several significant awards, and created countless smiles on faces, as evidenced by our 100% satisfaction rating on various platforms. However, now it is time to take our entire project further. The magic of direct trade And literally so! One of the cornerstones of our business was the desire to help farmers in Cambodia through trade here in Europe. Valuable tools served this purpose, such as direct trade, regular visits to the owners of local farms, and financial and material support for those farmers who truly need it. Our goal remains to gradually establish cooperation with as many families as possible who grow pepper in Kampot, Cambodia, and to purchase an increasing volume of their production from partner farms. However, to do this, we ourselves need to expand, specifically by finding new customers for the peppercorns who have not yet discovered the magic of Kampot pepper. Kampot pepper to the whole world We want to find these customers abroad, specifically in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and also England. Foreign clients already buy pepper from us, but thanks to the innovations we have prepared, we want to meet foreign demand much more. The first to benefit will be customers from Italy and France, countries renowned for their refined cuisine and which will certainly welcome the best pepper in the world with open arms.  And so that local customers best understand that we are not only bringing them quality pepper but a much more sophisticated philosophy of the entire brand, we have prepared a completely new form of communication for them, based on four themes that are most important to us. These themes are taste, authenticity, goodness, and luxury gifts. More about each of them next time.

When the Czech Republic is mentioned in the world, people usually think of Jaromír Jágr and right after him, beer. We Czechs are simply world-famous for our love of the hop beverage. That’s why we couldn’t resist trying to realize the idea of combining our national treasure with a bit of spice from distant Kampot. And it wouldn’t be us if pepper didn’t play the main role in it. Pilsner beer, properly spiced with Cambodia To be able to create a beer special flavored with Kampot m pepper, we needed to find an equally crazy partner, who turned out to be the Proud brewery, a specialist in various beer anomalies that, however, taste damn good. That we chose correctly is also proven by the latest win of our .pepper..beer PEPPER YOUR SAISON in the Cerevisia Specialis competition, where we placed first among eighteen beer specials in the unusual beers category. What does beer with pepper taste like? That our pepper beer is truly unusual can be seen and tasted right away. A gently cloudy golden color accompanies a flavor journey through the Cambodian pepper plantations, which in many ways resemble Czech hop fields. The delicate aroma of dark red Kampot pepper brings a slightly earthy spicy taste to the top-fermented, unfiltered, and moderately bitter beer, supported by an exotic hint of clove. The red pepper also ensures the presence of subtle fruity tones, which are the cherry on top of the foam of this specialty. Our pepper beer is a great refreshment but also finds its place when paired with red meat. Don’t hesitate to experiment a bit with it in the kitchen, basting meat with it or using it in sauce preparations. However, we don’t need to reveal more. We Czechs know best in the world how to handle beer!

Whether you are among the passionate cooks who spend every free moment in the kitchen at home, or cooking is just a way for you to quiet a rumbling stomach, you will still have one thing in common. Everyone likes to enjoy something truly good that brings a smile to their face and satisfies their craving taste buds. But the question is, what exactly will it be? What will I cook today? A classic question asked daily not only here but by millions of women and men. If you are asking yourself this question too, we have good news for you. On our website, you will find an endless variety of recipes from the greatest culinary stars not only of the Czech gastronomic scene. As you might guess, all the recipes we put together with them have one thing in common, and that is Kampot pepper. Through these recipes, we want to show you how versatile pepper is as a spice. The number of dishes that can be prepared with it is truly countless, and it’s definitely not just about steaks. Chefs and food bloggers from across the country and abroad They will all teach you on our blog how to prepare unique savory and sweet dishes using Kampot pepper, how to work with its spiciness, subtly enhance the flavors of other ingredients, and how to surprise every guest from Cambodia who visits you for dinner with its taste. Set out into the world of higher culinary experiences that can also take place in your kitchen. Explore, experiment, and discover flavors you never dreamed of before. Draw inspiration and improve your cooking skills under the guidance of top gastronomic professionals and the best pepper in the world. Enjoy your meal!

Kampot pepper is among the best spices in the world. Its taste is so exceptional that the best chefs awarded with Michelin stars cook with it to be able to serve dishes of the highest quality from their kitchens. Thanks to .pepper..field, you can offer your guests similarly high-quality food without needing a Michelin star. What's new in the partner restaurants that pepper with us in a big way? In the Prague Kantýna and ESKA by Ambiente you can find us not only at the counter but also on the menu. At the counter, you can taste all the peppers and buy them to take home. On the menu, you can taste all kinds of peppers including fresh novelties. And places like Kantýna have plenty of them! Let yourself be seduced by quality meat and chef Lukáš Dráb, who knows exactly which pepper complements which type of meat. At the prestigious restaurant Le Grill in Prague 1, where the friendly chef Jarda Hlavsa cooks, you can try our fermented pepper on the November menu.  At SOHO chef Tomáš Mrvík will prepare a perfect tomahawk steak with a Kampot pepper sauce for you. Combined with the newly renovated restaurant environment, it is literally a gastronomic experience! Perlová voda court outside Prague cooks with us daily – you will rarely find any pepper other than ours on the grinder here, as chef Ondra really does not skimp on quality! Come here for the weekend and taste from morning till evening. Vínograf at Senovážné still has pastrami on the menu with our pepper from the joint September event. And at our beloved Casa De Carli you will find a monthly specialty perfectly tuned to the last detail – but we won’t reveal the November one yet so as not to spoil all the surprises! Do you want to pepper with us too? For gastronomic establishments of this type, we prepare special offers including bulk advantageous Package, thanks to which the local chefs always have a sufficiently large supply of Kampot pepper and are thus always able to include perfectly balanced dishes with a touch of Cambodian spiciness on their menus. How exceptional the pepper we are talking about is is proven by the fact that our products were awarded the highest recognition by the London Guild of Fine Foods Great Taste – and our pepper even received the gastronomic Oscar in the form of the Golden Fork. It is simply a product unequalled in the world that brings joy and exceptional taste everywhere it is used. Not only will your guests love your dishes thanks to it, but by purchasing it you will also help the farmers who grew the pepper in distant Kampot. By the way – if you are an operator, owner, or want to learn more about us and our restaurants, we will gladly tell you everything!

It is Sunday afternoon and at the trade fair in Yorkshire County, England, the jury of the Guild of Fine Food announces the final results of the Golden Fork, the highest gastronomic trophy that can be won in a worldwide competition. A total of 14,113 products from 108 countries around the world entered the competition, and only 14 of them will achieve this symbolic gastronomic Oscar. Among the global competition consisting of the best rums from South America or renowned Norwegian cheeses is also our freeze-dried pepper. "It is not often that a newcomer receives such a high award in the competition, " we hear from the surrounding experienced competitors. We nervously wait for the result until the last moment. And then it comes. Our freeze-dried pepper has officially become the best and most golden in the world! In the entire 27-year history of the Great Taste Awards competition, no other product from the Czech Republic has ever won this trophy. More than 500 jurors of the Guild of Fine Food evaluate all the products entered into the competition over two months. Each is carefully tasted blind by top chefs, buyers, sellers, restaurateurs, and food critics. The foods are then rated with one, two, and three stars. Among the global competition, it is very rare to find 3 stars for Czech products. This year, two types of our Kampot pepper could boast the Great Taste award, which is itself a great global success. It has never happened before that a Czech product achieved even higher and confirmed its nomination for the Golden Fork. And then we came. We are now officially the only holders of this globally recognized gastronomic trophy thanks to our freeze-dried green Kampot pepper, which we freeze-dry on Czech machines with a unique recipe. Confirmed – our pepper is really the best in the world Jurors in the Great Taste Awards competition look for truly excellent taste regardless of brand or packaging. With our freeze-dried pepper, they can find not only that – it is a worldwide unique product. “At the beginning, there was a desire to bring truly fresh pepper to Europe. Its delicate taste, when the still green pepper is picked from the pepper vine,” describes our Lukáš, co-founder of the brand. In order for a product to be nominated for the Golden Fork award at all, it must win 3 stars at the Great Taste, which were announced this September. Out of 218 products awarded this way, 33 later achieved a Golden Fork nomination – and the nomination itself meant a huge success for us. Only 14 awarded foods worldwide ultimately won. Absolutely special and unique food, this is the final verdict of the strict Guild of Fine Food jury. With our Kampot pepper, you also know that you are buying in a maximally fair way and supporting a good cause. „ It is an indescribable feeling to be ranked among the world's top foods such as the best cheeses, virgin olive oils, or delicacies like oysters. It is an honor for us and we are sure that fresh freeze-dried Kampot pepper definitely belongs among them,“ agree Lukáš and Lenka, both co-founders of our brand and this year's proud exhibitors of freeze-dried pepper in England. We conquered the global competition and can thus help more people Since 2018, when we founded the project, we have supported over 200 small farming families in the Kampot region of Cambodia by purchasing Kampot pepper in the fairest and most sustainable way. In the same year, the Czech Development Agency joined our project and helped us develop freeze-dried pepper as part of a development program thanks to the purchase of Czech machines from LYOTRADE, on which we then further freeze-dry fresh pepper. What you will receive from us is real authentic Cambodia, and in return, you can be sure that you are helping specific people live a quality life even in other parts of the world. „When you treat pepper this way, it only needs to be soaked at home in oil or any liquid, and the pellet will absorb moisture again and return to the same form it was in just before being picked,“ explains our Klára, co-founder of the brand. „We wanted to deliberately develop a product in the Czech Republic that no one else in the world has and thanks to which our farming families can be competitive with large foreign farms that currently dominate the Kampot region,“ she adds with a smile. Actions speak louder than words The fact that we really help and try to change the world for the better is also proven by our this year's win in the SDG Awards, where the Association of Social Responsibility recognized us as the second-best company in the Business category. As one of the most sustainable companies in the Czech Republic, we set even higher goals for ourselves in the future to help Cambodian farming families thanks to our gradual expansion into foreign markets this year and in the following years.

Most of us use classic kitchen salt our entire lives. However, have you ever wondered if there is a healthier or tastier alternative? There are actually several types of salt, differing in quality and taste. And we'll reveal right away that classic kitchen salt may not be the best choice. Kitchen Salt Common salt is extracted chemically, bleached (refined), and in some areas lacking access to the sea, it is also iodized. Kitchen salt is essentially just sodium chloride, which in larger amounts is unhealthy for our bodies. Therefore, we should use kitchen salt very carefully. Have you heard the term „too salty“? Because that is exactly what kitchen salt is. Excessive intake of such salt destroys taste buds and reduces sensitivity to salty flavors. The vicious circle then ends with further unnecessary over-salting. Although salt is necessary and very important for the human body, its excessive intake can cause problems with the cardiovascular system and damage kidney function. Even though this recommendation applies to any salt, it is likely that this intolerance occurs especially with this ordinary kitchen salt. Himalayan Salt In some Czech kitchens, so-called Himalayan salt also appears, which actually does not come from the Himalayas at all. It is mined in Pakistan, in the world's second-largest salt mine, from which 300 million kilograms of salt are extracted annually. The salt is known for its characteristic pink color, caused by the presence of iron in the salt. Unfortunately, salt mining significantly disrupts the environment of the entire area, and the iron present in the salt is in a truly negligible amount, so from a health perspective, this salt cannot perform great miracles. Salt Flower If you are looking for truly pure, natural, unrefined salt whose harvesting leaves no trace in nature, salt flower, or Fleur de Sel, is the clear choice for you. This type of salt is obtained by crystallizing seawater that is dried by the sun’s rays. On the surface of so-called sea salt pans, fine crystalline flakes form, which are hand-collected and then neither bleached nor chemically treated. Thanks to this, this rare sea salt has a unique taste, and you can enjoy it without any guilt. What makes salt flower so rare? Especially the demanding nature of its harvesting. It is entirely dependent on unique climatic conditions, good weather, and careful handling. Fine flakes do not form if it rains or if there is strong wind. Sea salt pans also require an ideal combination of air humidity and sunshine. Our salt flower from Kampot is harvested in the coastal areas of this province, where the techniques of its cultivation and collection have remained unchanged for centuries. Local farmers wait with long rakes for the right moment when they can gather the salt flower from the surface and immediately pack and send it to you so you can enjoy the uniqueness of this natural gift from the sea. 

Salt and pepper are the basics of every kitchen, we would find them in every restaurant and just to be sure, we have them on every dining table. Why have these two ingredients captured the hearts of Europeans as well as the inhabitants of the North American continent? And what makes them get along so well? The reason why salt and pepper have earned a firm place on our tables is their ability to enhance the flavor of the served dish. While salt can highlight the taste of proteins above all, pepper, on the other hand, adds its characteristic aroma where it would otherwise be missing. Just potatoes, nothing more We must realize that in the past, it was often the only way to add at least some emotion to food. Our ancestors did not always have so many ingredients and so many options for interesting seasoning. Often, the main ingredient on their plate was just potatoes and vegetables. Meat was a rarity, as were more exotic spices. That is why pepper and salt were the best way to season plain potatoes or root vegetables. Interestingly, if we look at other parts of the world, pepper and salt do not play such a prominent role. In Asia, their place is taken by fish sauce or crushed red chili. In Mexico, it is lime, salsa, and coriander, and in Ethiopia, for example, it is awaze paste, whose base is chili. Rarity However, let us not think that salt and pepper were readily available seasonings in every tavern already in the Middle Ages. At that time, salt was more available, but it was not used for seasoning but mainly for its preservative properties. Large quantities of meat and fish were salted, which allowed these ingredients to survive long journeys across oceans. It was sailors who eventually began to import pepper from afar, which was originally a commodity for the elite. Its wider popularization happened only in the 18th and especially the 19th century, when the combination of pepper and salt began to appear on tables more and more frequently. The right choice for our grinders We preserve the tradition to this day, and that is why pepper and salt are the most used combination of spices and seasonings in the kitchen. And now we know that when both ingredients are of high quality, it is enough to make the dish simply divine! With our Kampot pepper you will always season flawlessly, and with coarse sea salt from Kampot suitable for grinders you will perfectly flavor anything you are currently preparing. Various colorful grinders will help you decide which one to assign to which ingredient!

This year, we have once again confirmed that at .pepper..field we can creatively and innovatively solve sustainable development problems not only in the Czech Republic but also worldwide! The SDGs Awards have been held for the fifth year under the auspices of the Association of Social Responsibility, which recognizes projects fulfilling the UN's global goals. In five categories, 238 projects competed for first place this year, and we just received 2nd place in the Business category. Are you happy? We are immensely! Our story began in 2018 Even then, we had a significant goal – to support up to 400 farming families in the Kampot region of Cambodia by purchasing Kampot pepper in the fairest and most sustainable way. It soon became clear that the most important thing was to support small farmers and improve their competitiveness in a market dominated by large foreign farms. From the beginning, we have been buying pepper from them at 100% fair trade prices. This ensures economic self-sufficiency and growth not only for them but for the entire region. In the same year, the Czech Development Agency joined our project, helping with financing technological development and purchasing Czech machines for these farms. This gave them another advantage in the market. We continue to collaborate with the Czech Development Agency today. We are far from finished, and many more goals and ideas are forming in our minds on how to improve life in Cambodia. From 250 kg of pepper to 10 tons of pepper annually This number means that in 2021, we purchased 50% of the production from small Cambodian farmers, effectively supporting more than 200 families. They now use the funds for children's schooling, basic healthcare, or protecting their pepper production. In 2022, our goal is to purchase 100% of the production, which is about 20 to 30 tons, and expand globally. These are large numbers but an even greater responsibility for all those specific families whose dignified lives we ensure through our business. In 2020, for this work, we received an honorary recognition from Mr. Sorasak – the Cambodian Minister of Commerce –. Economically self-sufficient Cambodia We realize that we are a global unique case. Not only do we buy Kampot pepper under fair and direct trade conditions, but we are also one of the largest processors in the region – now helping more than 200 families live a quality life! Our potential for the future is even greater. We want to expand our support among medium and larger farms and buy 100% of the Kampot pepper production. Improving living conditions in Cambodia is our long-term goal. In 2018, most small Cambodian farms were on the brink of poverty. They even considered letting their fields with Kampot pepper permanently disappear. We are glad that thanks to the launch of our project, this did not happen. Together, we are truly succeeding in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals. And this is also thanks to you! Thank you!

Enjoying food that is thoroughly scented and seasoned with pepper, or preparing food where random explosions of pepper flavor occur during consumption? A question you can answer by adjusting your grinder. The finer you grind the pepper into the dish, the more it will be intertwined throughout its content. On the other hand, larger fragments will be like small packets full of flavor surprises, where you will never be sure when you will encounter them while eating. Let's take a look together at what the individual sizes of ground peppercorns cause in a dish. Whole Pepper Using whole peppercorns makes the most sense if you want to add a gentle taste and aroma of pepper to your dish. It is suitable for use in soups, marinades, sauces, and also when roasting larger pieces of meat. With a whole peppercorn, you are sure of the freshest content hidden beneath the surface of its shell. Large Fragments If you crush a peppercorn into 5 to 6 larger pieces, you get a beautiful decorative element for the top of your creamy soups, pasta, or plates with sauce. At the same time, you prepare a refined surprise full of unexpected pepper flavor, which will add a completely new fun level to your food. Coarsely Ground A rich pepper flavor, where not only the sharpness of the pepper stands out but especially its other taste and aromatic tones, will be ensured by coarsely ground pepper. Especially with Kampot pepper, you will be able to enjoy its unique flavor, which will not be unnecessarily overwhelmed by spiciness. We recommend this grinding! Medium-Coarse Ground If you sometimes go to a restaurant and pour the contents of the pepper shaker from the table onto your hand, in most cases you will get medium-coarse ground pepper. This is the most commonly known way to lightly season a dish after final preparation. It is suitable for lighter dishes such as chicken, sauces, or salad dressings based on yogurt or mayonnaise. Finely Ground Pepper A smooth, almost powdery consistency allows you to season a dish without the pepper being almost noticeable in the food. However, do not be fooled by this subtlety. By grinding the pepper very finely, you bring out its sharp character the most. The ideal choice wherever you want to add a little heat and hide the pepper, from various dressings to soups. The flavor accent here somewhat fades, and generally, we do not recommend this grinding much because the too fine powder can be slightly suffocating. Our tip: Take a look at the section of our grinders, which will flawlessly help you grind Kampot pepper and salt in all sizes. :-)

The moment you buy any food, you are not just buying the product itself, but also the values of those who produced and transported it all the way to your table. Various store certificates can tell you more about these values, revealing under what conditions the given food was produced and how it got to you, but also the transparent communication of the seller, which is often even more important. In this regard, we can talk about so-called direct and fair trade. But what is the difference between them? Translated from English: direct and fair trade  Before a product gets directly into your hands, it usually has to go through a long journey through several traders, which increases its price and lowers its quality. At the same time, the consumer has not the slightest chance to find out where the product comes from, whether human rights were violated during its production, or if environmental devastation occurred. That chain between the farmer and the consumer minimizes direct trade.  It is the path we also take at .pepper..field. Thanks to this, we are able to have a perfect overview of the distribution of our pepper; we know exactly from whom each batch comes, and because of that, you know it too. :-) However, building a direct trade business is not easy because few get direct access to primary world commodities as we did after a long journey through Cambodia. Our direct trade is very transparent, which is proven by the fact that through photos and current videos, we involve you in every pepper purchase, which you can participate in remotely with us! You don’t need a certificate for fair trade  Fair trade is above all a certainty. The certainty that the farmers from whom we buy Kampot pepper receive proper compensation for their work, we know the conditions under which the unique Kampot pepper is grown, and we are able to help them continuously improve these conditions. This is called fair trade. Fair trade can be done even without certificates, precisely thanks to direct trade, because you are a direct seller and thus have direct influence on all processes, including whether farmers are paid 100% fair amounts. It is the most wonderful combination because no unnecessary money gets lost anywhere in the chains. And how do we stand with certifications? All the necessary certifications related to Kampot pepper have, of course, been secured from the beginning and we transparently know from Cambodia that they are in order. Other certifications such as fair trade/bio/organic we now secure for all our farmer families thanks to expansion into foreign markets where they are required. These certifications are understandably extremely expensive, so our farmers could not afford them before, but we try to help them with this and take the financial burden on our shoulders. And that is the beauty of .pepper..field’s help! :-)

Perhaps you have also sometimes held a grain of Kampot pepper between your thumb and forefinger and wondered how it is possible that it contains such a huge amount of flavors compared to the regular pepper purchased in a store. The answer to this question lies in the content of piperine and other substances contained in the peppercorn. Not only piperine affects the taste of pepper The method of cultivating pepper in Kampot, the geographical conditions, and the processing method all influence the concentration of individual substances in the peppercorn, which give it its true flavor. The empty spiciness of store-bought pepper is replaced here by a warm and full taste accompanied by a whole range of other tones of citrus, conifers, exotic fruit, and more. Behind these nuances of aroma and taste stands not only piperine itself, which is even spicier than the well-known capsaicin found in chili peppers, but also other substances. Among them are germacene, limonene, pinene, and alpha-phellandrene. For example, germacene brings a strong spicy, warm, and sweet scent to the pepper. On the other hand, limonene brings freshness and those citrus tones. After this chemical analysis, it’s probably not hard to guess what pinene, which is also found in conifers, lends to the pepper. A dance of aromas and flavors The taste of pepper is simply a wild dance of various flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenes that turn a small peppercorn into a ticking bomb packed with aromas and flavors just waiting to explode in your mouth and unfold in your nose.  Moreover, you can cleverly play with individual flavor tones by combining pepper with different kinds of herbs. For example, rosemary can highlight the pine tones in pepper. Conversely, coriander multiplies the citrus essence of pepper, and some berries can enhance the woody tones. In short, try experimenting a bit with Kampot Kampot pepper, and you will see that it will reward you with a whole range of unique flavor surprises. :-)

Spices are an indispensable part of every kitchen. However, while with yogurts, lemons, or chocolate we consider where they actually come from, with spices most chefs don’t really care that much. Unfortunately, it is precisely in the case of spice growers that frequent exploitation and also destruction of nature occur. By the way, the entire idea of .pepper..field is based on changing this issue in the case of Kampot farmers. Why do the smallest and at the same time the best farms have such bad luck? Fortunately, there are many organizations and smaller companies worldwide that build on similar values as we do at .pepper..field and try to help producers from all over the world. This help consists of overseeing better working conditions, fair wages, and also environmentally friendly approaches during production. While there are many growers, the companies that buy their products are significantly fewer. Because of this, these companies can dictate the conditions under which they buy the cultivated product. These conditions are often unfavorable for farmers, exploit them, and they are forced to use pesticides and other chemical preparations to maximize yield. Moreover, many of these farmers are from remote areas, which makes it impossible for them to enter the market without traders, who do not come to these areas very often. Simply put, they have the hardest possible position in trading. These prices constantly fluctuate due to unstable weather and also the political situation in the countries where the farmers live. Additionally, these farmers live in poor conditions their entire lives and therefore do not have the strong will to escape them. Are fair prices per kilo paid in Kampot? That is why various organizations often set minimum purchase prices necessary to cover production costs and also ensure a decent life for farmers. Such an association in the case of Kampot pepper is KPPA – Kampot Pepper Promotion Association – which annually sets the official fair price per kilo of individual peppers, which it recommends to follow. Unfortunately, this is still only a recommendation that companies may or may not follow. Guess what – in the Kampot area, none of the local producers – neither small nor large farms like La Plantation – adhered to this official price per kilo and did not pay farmers that price. Why? And why yes, when their motivation was only commerce? Of course, it is extremely financially demanding to pay farmers up to ten times more than others. But if you have the right motivation like we do at  .pepper..field, not only can you manage it, but maybe in time you will also force large farms to reconsider why until now they have not paid a fair price per kilo? If a smaller company like ours can manage these finances, what excuse would large farms and producers have to find? These are simply things we still shake our heads about. At the same time, it is a completely healthy, fair, and responsible foundation that we have committed to always uphold!

Salt flower from Kampot is a small white treasure that blooms thanks to the sun's rays and wind on the surface of salt pans, from which it is hand-harvested. Because of this, it achieves a different taste and texture than, for example, sea salt. It also brings a completely unique flavor component to dishes. It will find its place in the kitchen, but it is specific Salt contains up to 10% moisture, which causes it to lose its crystalline structure more slowly than ordinary salts. This allows it to maintain its crunchy structure for a longer time, which means only one thing. Salt flower is ideal primarily for seasoning dishes and is therefore not suitable for use directly during cooking. A great choice is when seasoning seafood, but also vegetables, and meat lovers will definitely appreciate it. There is nothing better than a steak on which you can taste the flavor of coarsely ground Kampot pepper combined with the sharp texture of the salt. Salt flower is simply a great helper in the kitchen and when grilling. It adds the necessary finishing touch to vegetables and meat with grill marks, emphasizing the characteristic taste of the individual ingredients. Salt flower is not just a name, but also a flavor characteristic Salt flower is also popular among confectioners. Salt flower has a slightly sweet aftertaste, which makes it a great complement to sweet desserts. Who doesn’t know caramel cups sprinkled with salt crystals on their surface? These are also placed on macarons, becoming part of chocolate. Somewhat surprisingly, salt flower can also be found in bartenders’ equipment. Salt flower is used as a decoration for the rims of some cocktail glasses. For example, it can add a completely new flavor element to a margarita, giving this drink the right sharpness. Salt flower is not ordinary salt. It is an ingredient that literally invites playfulness, at the end of which is a perfectly looking and even better tasting dish that everyone will admire. So carve out a place for this salt in your culinary art and you will see that it will reward you with a unique flavor that will transport you to the sea waves under the burning sun of Kampot! P.S.: Did you know that we also use real salt flower in our  fresh peppers? You can taste it on the  freeze-dried Kampot pepper,  fermented, but also  fresh green pepper in salt brine.