Organic Whole Black Peppercorns (Certified Fairtrade)

Our organic whole black peppercorns is imported in small batches from a fairtrade certified exporter in Sri Lanka. Pepper holds a unique space in the average North American home. After all, whereas other spices live tucked away in dark cupboards black pepper proudly stands in shakers and grinders on the kitchen counter or; holiest of holy places, the dining table in nearly every single home and restaurant. It's the only spice that finds its way into nearly every single dish.

Peppercorns are actually the fruits of a flowering vine in the "Piperaceae" family. The green, wide-leafed vines grow long tendrils where cylindrical clusters of the berries ripen. The fruits are small containing a thin skin, very little actual fruit, and a single large seed. The fruits are picked at varying degrees of ripeness depending on the strength and type of pepper desired and then processed accordingly.

The vine is native to India but is grown in nearly every tropical region. Vietnam currently grows and exports the most black pepper, totaling around 35% of the world's supply, followed by India, Brazil, China and Sri Lanka. Used in practically every single style of cuisine imaginable pepper is the most traded spice worldwide and makes up 20% of the world's total spice trade.

It's not too much of a surprise considering this piquant little spice has been beloved for thousands of years. For a long time, is was primarily utilized as a medicine. The spice was even used in preserving mummies! Ramses the Great's body had peppercorns stuffed in the nostrils to help keep the body clean and thought by many to cure insomnia and toothaches.

Ancient Romans and Greeks loved pepper. In fact, the ancient Roman cookbook, Apicius, written in 4 AD uses black pepper in 80% of its recipes.

The desire for black pepper was also a driving force for many explorers such as Columbus and Vasco de Gama who set out hoping to find a faster route to India in order to more quickly acquire it for spice-hungry European markets.

Peppercorns get their telltale bite from a chemical called Piperine that is found in the fruit and seed of the peppercorn.

What are your different types of pepper (from coarse to fine)?

• Organic Whole Black "Tellicherry Special Extra Bold" Peppercorns:
  • "Tellicherry Special Extra Bold" peppers get their name from their size. Only peppercorns 4.75 mm and above get the highest grade "TGSEB".
  • It's not a question of just showing off your large peppercorns. As a matter of fact, as peppercorns grow larger, they lose a little heat. But, with less heat comes a bigger aroma. So the bigger the peppercorn, the more fragrant.
  • When you grind Tellicherry Special Extra Bold, the citrus aroma is immediate and beautiful. This fragrance of Tellicherry is incomparable to industry standard pinhead 1 mm grade.
• Organic Whole Black Peppercorns:
  • As the name says these are whole black dried berries. The purest form of pepper to use in your own spice grinder to get fresh pepper just how you like it. The berries used to make black pepper are harvested before they are ripe. These unripe green berries are cooked and dried, which causes the skin to blacken and become wrinkly.
• Organic Whole White Peppercorns:
  • Whole white peppercorns are made from fully ripened berries. The ripe berries are soaked and fermented in water, removing the outer skin. Only the inner seed is dried. White pepper has a less pungent heat due to the oils that are stripped away when the skin is removed. At the same time, allowing the berries to fully ripen and ferment results in white pepper's more complex, earthy flavor.
• Organic Cracked Black Peppercorns:
  • These whole black peppercorns are very coarsely cracked into a 6-10 Mesh size.
• Organic Cracked Black Peppercorns (Italian Style):
  • These whole black peppercorns are very coarsely cracked into a 10-16 Mesh size.
• Organic Black Pepper (Butcher's Cut):
  • These whole black peppercorns are coarsely ground into a 16-25 Mesh size. This is the mesh size you normally find on pepper rubbed steaks.
• Organic Black Pepper (Regular):
  • These whole black peppercorns are ground into a 20-28 Mesh size. This is pretty standard table pepper.
• Organic Black Pepper (Fine):
  • These whole black peppercorns are ground into a 32-40 Mesh size. This fine pepper is good for dissolving in sauces.
• Organic White Pepper (Fine):
  • These whole white peppercorns are ground into a 40 Mesh size. This fine pepper is good for dissolving in sauces.
• Organic Black Pepper (Extra Fine):
  • These whole black peppercorns are ground into a 60 Mesh size. This is the finest pepper found commercially.
• Organic White Pepper (Extra Fine):
  • These whole white peppercorns are ground into a 60 Mesh size. This is the finest pepper found commercially.

What does Fairtrade certification mean?

• Fairtrade products are far more than just fair prices, they create sustainable impact in three interconnected areas: economic, social, and environmental. These are known as the three pillars of sustainability:
• Economic: Fairtrade sets economic Standards for farmers and workers to benefit from income security and financial independence. These include the Fairtrade Minimum Price for most commodities, which aims to provide producers with a safety net against falling prices, along with the Fairtrade Premium that provides producers with additional money to invest as they choose. Fairtrade also emphasizes long-term partnerships that help yield sustainable and decent livelihoods.
• Environmental: Environmental criteria emphasize ecologically and agriculturally sound practices, including responsible water and waste management, preserving biodiversity and soil fertility, minimal use of pesticides, and the prohibition of the use of GMOs. Organic production is promoted and rewarded by higher Fairtrade Minimum Prices for organically grown products.
• Social: Social criteria for small-scale producers include requirements on democratic self-organization, participatory decision-making, transparency, and non-discrimination. For hired labour, our Standards require non-discriminatory employment practices, fair pay, freedom of association, and safeguards for worker health and safety. Forced labour and child labour are prohibited under the Fairtrade Standards.

Who is "Joint Agri Product Ceylon" (JAPC)?

• JACP is a medium scale Fairtrade exporter in Sri Lanka that acts as a link between the country's small-scale producers and Western markets. For over thirty years, JAPC has built up a solid network of more than 3,500 producer families throughout the country. A supply chain based on respect and fairness that provides the basis for their diversified production of spices and teas, coconut products and fruits.
• These rural communities have never stopped practicing traditional organic farming. It's a way of life for these farmers, who follow integrated methods such as mixed farming, agroforestry, biodynamic agriculture and biological pest control. In this way, sustainable cash crops, tropical fruits, shade trees for timber, pest-repellent crops, medicinal herbs and home gardens can all be grown side by side on the same plot.
• JAPC rightly considers that these thousands of families are the real wealth of their company. They therefore maintain fair relations with these growers, guaranteeing them long-term purchase of their crops at above-market prices.
• The recipient of numerous awards, JAPC is recognized in its country as a model value-added organic exporter, both for the very high quality of its products and for its commitment to communities. JAPC also holds the most demanding certifications in organic, biodynamic and regenerative agriculture, food safety and quality, and fairtrade.