Patagonia Pepper- the alternative to Tasmanian Pepper
At the beginning of February, it still looked like a good harvest of Tasmanian pepper this year, but a lack of rain and an extreme heat wave caused the berries to dry out and fall off the bush shortly before harvest. A big disappointment for Tasmanian pepper lovers. Now we have found a wonderful alternative: the Patagonia Pepper. This pepper rarity grows in the cool, humid climate of the temperate evergreen rainforest of the South American region of Patagonia. These evergreen shrubs can reach heights of up to 20 metres. The Magellanic winter bark, which belongs to the botanical plant group Drimys, exudes a strong aroma reminiscent of the bark of the cinnamon tree. The white flowers smell of jasmine and ripen into bluish berries that are harvested between March and May. And these berries have it all. First tasting pleasantly sweet and fruity with a hint of cinnamon, the berry surprises a short time later with a concise spiciness and a slight numbness on the tongue. This very intense pepper should be used moderately and is best used freshly mortared or coarsely chopped with a knife.