South Coast - Cambodia - page 389

OFFLINE MAP
( 6-9pm Mon-Fri) Visitors are welcome to observe training sessions and/or performances
every evening at this school that trains children who are orphaned or have disabilities in
traditional music and dance. The organisation has recently experienced some funding is-
sues, so donations are very welcome.
KAMPOT PEPPER
Before Cambodia's civil war, no Paris restaurant worth its salt would be without pepper from Kampot
Province, but the country's pepper farms were all but destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, who believed in
growing rice, not spice.
Today, thanks to a group of eco-entrepreneurs and foodies who are passionate about pepper,
Kampot-grown peppercorns, delicate and aromatic but packing a powerful punch, are making a
comeback.
Kampot pepper is grown on family farms that dot Phnom Voar and nearby valleys, northwest of
Kompong Trach, where the unique climate and farmers' fidelity to labour-intensive growing tech-
niques produce particularly pungent peppercorns. In fact, Kampot pepper is so extraordinary that it's
Cambodia's first-ever product to receive a 'geographical indication' (GI), just like French cheeses. In-
creased sales have made a huge difference for Kampot's pepper families, and especially for the girls
who are able to marry now their parents can afford their dowries.
Peppercorns are picked from February to May. Black pepper is plucked from the trees when the
corns are starting to turn yellow and turns black during sun-drying; red pepper is picked when the fruit
is completely mature; and mild white pepper is soaked in water to remove the husks. September to
February is the season for green pepper, whose sprigs have to be eaten almost immediately after har-
vesting - the Crab Market restaurants of Kep are one of the best places to experience its gentle fresh-
ness.
A packet of pepper makes an excellent souvenir or gift: the corns are lightweight and unbreakable,
and if stored properly - that is, not ground! - will stay fresh for years. In Kampot, you can purchase
pouches of peerless pepper, and see pepper being dried and sorted, at FarmLink ( 033 6902354;
www.farmlink-cambodia.com ; 8-11am & 2-5pm Mon-Fri), one of the pioneers of GI pepper pro-
duction. It's just over the New Bridge; take the first right and look for it on the left. Most countryside
tours around Kampot and Kep include a visit to a working pepper farm. Starling Farm
( www.starlingfarm.com ) is one of the most friendly and accessible, and includes an on-site shop and
restaurant.
Activities
Kampot now has several guesthouses that actively promote a range of mostly water-based
activities. Most places along the river offer kayaks in some shape or form, including