Peppercorns

Virgil Evetts June 12, 2011 at 11:53pm

Good detective work Sue! Ive seen it growing at Cape Tribulation in QL but nowhere further south.

Ben, I grow the piper species you are referring to. It's one of the species commonly called betel leaf. The leaves are used as food wraps in parts of SE Asia- I actually think kawakawa (micropiper) leaves are nicer for this purpose as they have a more defined peppery flavour. Betel leaf grows quite happily in a pot in Auckland and would probably be OK outdoors in a warm spot.

Sue Story June 10, 2011 at 12:39am

I checked out about the peppercorn growing in Noosa and even on the Sunshine coast it is too cold. There are some grown in Australia in the far north but unless you had a hothouse you wouldn't be able to grow them here. Mind you, my friend Annabel Langbein has a Kaffir Lime tree in Wanaka (which is in a position that can be protected).

www.suestory.co.nz

Wendy > Sue Story June 10, 2011 at 4:59am

Thanks Sue, that pretty much confirms my own findings - The Noosa Food & Wine festival sounded fantastic! I really appreciate you looking into this.

Kind regards

Wendy
Ben Cheah > Wendy June 11, 2011 at 2:50am

Peppercorn is an equatorial crop needing a hot climate. In Sarawak, It is grown to climb up a post up to about 3 metres high. Each post supporting 3 plants can produce up to 5 kg fruit a year. Green and ripe peppercorn is eaten raw in salads in Asia. It certainly gives it that extra zing to the vegetables. I would use Kawakawa leaves as a substitute, or nasturtium seeds. Some Thai farmers in New Zealand sell another piper plant in the markets like Avondale market. I tried growing them but not having a hot house, they did not survive the winter.

Virgil Evetts March 2, 2011 at 10:42pm

Generally, pepper is propagated from cuttings. I’m not aware of any plants growing in New Zealand- but you never know. They are a tropical member of the piper family (related to kawakawa), but based on my own observations of where they grow in the topics, I suspect they probably could be grown in a sheltered corner or greenhouse from around Auckland north.

Unfortunately black pepper corns are picked unripe, heated and then partially fermented, so they will not grow. White pepper is made from fully ripened berries but again they are then heated before being scoured to remove their skins.

I live in hope that I will find somebody growing a plant one day- there are some surprising things out there in greenhouses...

The peppers you ate were almost certainly preserved green peppercorns- available in jars from most supermarkets

Wendy > Virgil Evetts March 3, 2011 at 1:41am

Thanks Virgil, we can only live in hope that we may find some here in NZ and in the meantime I will try every possible avenue. It is an exciting mission! W
Sue Story > Wendy April 6, 2011 at 7:00am

I am going to Noosa Wine and food festival and going to a spice farm out of town where I hope to learn more about pepper. Will let you know in mid May

Sue Story

www.suestory.co.nz
Wendy > Sue Story April 6, 2011 at 7:47am

Thanks Sue - how excting I cant wait! happy and safe travels

Wendy

moggy February 11, 2011 at 3:32am

I would be surprised if they were fresh peppercorns, possibly they were the sort that you buy in brine rather than fresh. But I would love to know if you can get a pepper corn tree. It might sound daft but have you tried growing the whole peppercorns you can buy? I hae had great success with supermarket germination for other things.

Wendy > moggy February 11, 2011 at 3:44am

Thanks Moggy, thats on the experimental list, these didnt seem to have the flavour of a brine kept peppercorn but it could have been disguised in the curry, I am going to ask at the Thai shop I got it from and, I will check out the asian food markets too. On a mission. W

Food Growing Q&A

Peppercorns

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