Red pepper from Phu Quoc

The island of Phu Quoc is called the "Emerald Island" as it harbours many natural treasures. It is located in the Golf of Thailand, off the coast of Cambodia. The island has been part of Vietnam since 1945.

Pepper cultivation was introduced in the 18th century by the Chinese. Nowadays, the pepper production on the island is very select with very small quantities produced. In Phu Quoc, only 1.5 tonne/hectare are produced vs. 8 to 10 tonnes/hectare in other regions of Vietnam, like the region of Daklak for example. On the island, all production stages are entirely done by hand: harvesting, retting, washing, drying and sorting. Most of the pepper plantations are in Cua Duang, in the centre of the island. The pepper is harvested from February to April. The inhabitants of Phu Quoc island call the pepper: "Tiêu". They eat it with sea food and fish. They grind it with salt and then add lime. They use it for seasoning all their local dishes. Phu Quoc red pepper is obtained by picking the red berries when fully ripe, just before they start to rot on the branch. Phu Quoc red pepper is darker than its Cambodian cousin (Kampot red pepper). The two peppers have a different method for fixing their red colour. On the Vietnamese island, the red pepper is left to dry in the sun for longer.

In Kampot, just after the red berries are picked, they are soaked in boiling water and then immediately plunged into iced water.