Kampot pepper was the pepper of Paris kitchens in the early twentieth century, nearly vanished during the Khmer Rouge years, and came back as Cambodia's first product with a protected geographical indication. The rules are strict: grown in Kampot or Kep province, on vines tied to wooden posts, fertilised naturally and picked by hand. The same vine gives green, black, red and white pepper depending on when the cluster is picked and how it is treated.
What you'll do
- Walk the vine rows with a grower and see how each post is tended
- Learn how one berry becomes green, black, red or white pepper
- Taste fresh green pepper straight off the vine
- Buy direct and check the GI seal on the bag
Pair it with
Highland coffee in Vietnam, a short trip across the border and another crop shaped by its soil.
Practical
Harvest runs roughly February to May. Farms sit 30 to 60 minutes from Kampot town by tuk-tuk; most offer free short tours and tastings.
When it runs
Solid ochre marks peak months. Pale ochre marks months it runs in a quieter form.
