It's that time of year again! 🌿The 2019 Tribute Pepper harvest is upon us.
For those new to our community, the elusive Tribute Pepper is one of the rarest and most highly prized of the Sichuan Pepper varietals. In fact, it isn't a pepper at all. It's the seed of a tree in the citrus family, unrelated to the common peppercorn. Mind blown. I know.
These ancient little kernels have been cultivated in Sichuan for thousands of years, responsible for the fragrant, numbing zing that reverberates throughout the cuisine, and prized for its many medicinal and health benefits. Our Tribute Pepper is grown along the mountainous Tea Horse Road, an ancient trading route dedicated to the transport of tea and spices from China to the West. It's excruciatingly hand-harvest just once a year to preserve its delicate oils and sells out almost immediately after the annual harvest in August. Thrown into long braises and stews or roasted and ground to top iconic dishes like Mapo Tofu and Twice-Cooked Pork, just-harvested Tribute Pepper can be transformational.
Read more about Tribute Pepper and Erjingtiao Chilis in our founder Jenny Gao's comprehensive guide to Sichuan Cuisine in Anthony Bourdain's Explore Parts Unknown.
Want in on this 🔥🔥🔥? Click here to pre-order our exclusive 2019 Harvest Tribute Pepper before it's gone for another year.
