Kampot Pepper
Cambodia's finest pepper, produced only in Kampot, Cambodia. Pepper fields surround downtown Kampot. The pepper, which is almost all exported, is considered the finest pepper worldwide. Black, Red, White or Green, it all works.
The Green Pepper is fresh pepper from the vines. It has a short shelf life. Red Pepper occurs naturally, about 10% of the time on a vine (that's why it costs more). White Pepper is Red Pepper soaked in water a few days, then it's skin is peeled off and dried again. Black Pepper is the green peppercorn after it is dried in the sun a few days. The Red, Black and White are all sun dried at some point.
You can visit a pepper plantation on your trip to Kampot. All the tour services have special Pepper Tours, or you can just get out into the fields yourself (with permission from the farmer, of course)
Kep, Kampot's neighbor, also has many Kampot Pepper Plantations. Until the late 2000's, Kep was part of Kampot. Also, Kampot Pepper originally comes from what is now Kep Province, the smallest province in Cambodia.
The unique flavor of Kampot Pepper is thought to come from the quartz content in the soil here, but nobody really knows.
Also, all the Certified Kampot Pepper is organically grown, and chemical free.
The pepper grown here under the World Trade Organization’s Geographical Indication (GI) status starting in 2010, and is sought out worldwide for it's taste. (it also costs a whole lot more than your average pepper)
(Special thanks to Norbert, from Sothy's Pepper farm in Kep, for a whole lot of this info)
Downtown is The Kampot Pepper Shop - Bo Tree, with a complete selection of all Kampot Pepper
Across the bridge from Kampot is FARMLINK. A wonderful pepper demonstration farm, shop, and you can see pepper from many local plantations being processed. And it's Free!
Maline Resort - 45 minutes outside town, around the Secret Lake. A Kampot Pepper farm and a hillside resort.
La Plantation - 45 minutes outside town, around the Secret Lake. A Kampot Pepper farm with free pepper tours all day, Buffalo rides around the countryside, Khmer and French restaurants (featuring Kampot Pepper, of course) and a Kampot Pepper Shop. Also, a Kampot Pepper Shop downtown.
Sindora - Garden of Pepper - is at the Far End of Secret Lake.
Also, several Kampot Pepper farms in Kep, Cambodia, Kampot's neighbor.