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The cubeb pepper, Piper cubeba, also known as Java pepper, is a plant belonging to the Piperaceae family, the same as black pepper and many other pepper varieties. The plant produces fruits, berries that are dried and used as a spice, a rare pepper berry used for both culinary purposes and essential oil production. It is also called Java pepper because it is widespread in the Java and Sumatra regions.
The cubeb pepper plant is a climber that can reach very high heights and grows spontaneously in subtropical areas, on the islands of Java, Sumatra, the Antilles, and other areas in Africa. It belongs to the Piperaceae family, but its leaves are oval and elongated, the flowers are clustered in inflorescences, and the fruit is a wrinkled berry, very similar to black pepper, attached to the plant by a peduncle, a stem that often remains attached to the berry even when dried, hence it is easy to find cubeb pepper berries with this stalk. Cubeb pepper is often confused with black pepper, as the berries are very similar in color and size. Cubeb pepper is also known as gray pepper for this reason.
The earliest records of cubeb pepper date back to 300 BC, when Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher and botanist, mentions a spice, komakon, used along with cinnamon in aromatic blends. According to the reconstruction of two French historians, komakon would be cubeb pepper, given the similarity of the word with the Javanese name for cubeb: kumukus, proving the existence of a commercial network between Java and the Mediterranean countries.
In "One Thousand and One Nights" (10th century), it is mentioned as a remedy for infertility, proving its ancient use in Arab medicine. The name cubeb is derived from the Arabic kabāba, which seems to be derived from the French quibibes: in fact, cubeb arrived in Europe from India thanks to the Arabs during the Middle Ages, becoming a very popular spice.
Then, the sale was hindered by the King of Portugal to promote the trade of black pepper in the 17th century, leading to a gradual disappearance of cubeb in European culture. Today, it is once again considered and appreciated for its distinctive taste and qualities, for its healing properties, and for the prominent aromatic notes that make it one of the most used flavors in gin and cigarettes.
Cubeb pepper has a very pleasant smell, while the taste is similar to that of pimento, but slightly more bitter, and its aroma also recalls that of black pepper, with which it is often confused, although it has a more minty and citrusy, resinous, and fruity note. The taste is warm, bitter, and slightly spicy, suitable for adding a bold touch to dishes.
Cubeb pepper is used in cooking thanks to its strong flavor and aromatic and spicy notes that it can impart to dishes. In Africa and Indonesia, it is particularly used as a seasoning in recipes, and it is also the base of spice mixes like ras el hanout and other blends, such as the one used in Chinese curry chicken recipe. Widely used in the Middle Ages, most recipes featuring cubeb pepper are reminiscent of that period, especially pleasant when paired with meat dishes or used in sauces. It can be used to prepare excellent stews, both meat and fish. In particular, its aroma reminiscent of citrus and cloves makes it a surprising and refined pairing for fish. Just a few grains are enough per recipe.
Due to its warm and slightly spicy taste, it is very suitable for flavoring vegetables, sauces, and recommended as a flavor and spicy note in savory biscuit doughs. Adding it to doughs is not a revolution in the use of this pepper: in Morocco, cubeb pepper is widely used in pastry, where it is candied with sugar or tamarind glaze. It is used in recipes for dark chocolate desserts, such as chocolate truffles and fruit carpaccio.
It is recommended to use cubeb pepper sparingly in recipes, no more than one or two grains. It can be used both ground and whole, for example in marinades, sauces, or soups, while ground in doughs and at the end of cooking or on cold dishes. In soups or meat dishes like stews or stews, it should be added about 10 minutes before the end of cooking to flavor the dish. Being rather bitter, it is preferable to balance it with other spices like long pepper, black pepper, or pimento.
Cubeb pepper can be used in various ways to flavor meats, sauces, and vegetables thanks to its aromatic and spicy touch. However, we want to share an atypical recipe with cubeb pepper: this pepper is very suitable for making drinks, and we propose it in a version of cubeb spritz!
Ingredients:
Pour the ingredients into a Tumbler glass with plenty of ice and your spritz is ready! Garnish as desired!
For a long time, cubeb pepper has been used for the benefits associated with its consumption. Until a few years ago, for example, it was common to use cubeb pepper cigarettes to treat asthma and other respiratory issues like asthma, pharyngitis, and rhinitis. It is highly appreciated for its balsamic, diuretic, and antiseptic properties, beneficial for the urinary tract, but also has a good effect on intestinal issues.
In addition to culinary use, cubeb pepper yields an essential oil, often used in cosmetics in anti-wrinkle products. Other properties make cubeb pepper:
Cubeb pepper should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated, and not too bright place, at room temperature.
The creator of Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs, a heavy smoker of cubeb pepper cigarettes, jokingly said that if he hadn't smoked all that cubeb, he wouldn't have been able to invent the character.
Inside the Terza Luna shop, you can buy the rarest and most particular varieties of pepper carefully chosen during our travels among the best producers in the world.
Mix of precious peppers
The rare and precious peppers from Terza Luna are organic and truly unavailable elsewhere. Don't miss the opportunity to make your kitchen a gateway to the world.
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