Red Earth Internatonal Pondicherry

General Description: The best Pepper of commerce comes from Malabar. Pepper is mentioned by Roman writers in the fifth century. The plant can attain a height of 20 or more feet, but for commercial purposes it is restricted to 12 feet. The plant is propagated by cuttings and grown at the base of trees with a rough, prickly bark to support them. Between three or four years after planting they commence fruiting and their productiveness ends about the fifteenth year. The berries are collected as soon as they turn red and before they are quite ripe; they are then dried in the sun.   Geographical Sources: Black pepper is native to Malabar, a region in the Western Coast of South India; part o the union state Kerala. It is also grown in Malaysia and Indonesia since about that time when it was found in the Malabar Coast. In the last decades of the 20th century, pepper production increased dramatically as new plantations were founded in Thailand, Vietnam, China and Sri Lanka. The most important producers are India and Indonesia, which together account for about 50% of the whole production volume   History/Region of Origin: In South India wild, and in Cochin-China; also cultivated in East and West Indies, Malay Peninsula, Malay Archipelago, Siam, Malabar, etc.   Varieties -> In trade, the pepper grades are identified by their origin. In India -> The most important Indian grades are Malabar and Tellicherry (Thalassery). The Malabar grade is regular black pepper with a slightly greenish hue, while Tellicherry is a special product. Both Indian black peppers, but especially the Telicherry grade, are very aromatic and pungent. In the past, Malabar pepper was also traded under names like Goa or Aleppi. Cochin is the pepper trade center in India. In South East Asia, the most reputated proveniences for black pepper are Sarawak in Malaysia and Lampong from Sumatra/Indonesia. Both produce small-fruited black pepper that takes on a greyish colour during storage; both have a less-developed aroma, but Lampong pepper is pretty hot. Sarawak pepper is mild and often described fruity.  Composition -> Piperine, which is identical in composition to morphia, volatile oil, a resin called Chavicin. Its medicinal activities depends mainly on its pungent resin and volatile oil, which is colourless, turning yellow with age, with a strong odour, and not so acrid a taste as the peppercorn; it also contains starch, cellulose and colouring. Black pepper contains about 3% essential oil, The essential oil of white pepper has received less attention; the content of essential oil is lower (1%).The pungent principle in pepper is an alkaloid-analog compound piperine.  Good quality cloves -> Pungent and aromatic. The pungency is strongest in white pepper and weakest in green pepper, while black and green pepper are more aromatic than the white one. Taste and Aroma Malabar for weight, Sumatra for colour, and Penang for strength. Pepper has an aromatic odour, pungent and bitterish taste.   Adulteration -> Linseed mustard seed, wheat and pea-flour, sago, ground rice. At one time when the duty levied on Pepper was very high, fictitious peppercorns were made of oil-cake, clay, with a little cayenne added.  

Cashew is a tropical evergreen plant, belonging to the family of Anacardiaceae, known for its seeds that are consumed worldwide. This plant is actually a small to medium sized tree with a single trunk and thick leaves. The sweet flavored nut like seeds are obtained from the bottom of the false fruit of this tree, which is termed as cashew apples. The outer covering of the seeds are toxic and is hence removed before consuming the seed. These kidney shaped kernels are of different grades, sizes and colors.

Cardamom is the Queen of Spices. It is one of the most exotic and highly prized spices; Indian cardamom has a history as old as human civilization. Southern India and Sri Lanka are regarded as origin of this spice. Till recently India was the main Producer and exporter of this commodity, but of late Guatemala has emerged as a keen competitor to Indian cardamom in the international spice market. Indian cardamom is slightly smaller, but more aromatic. As a whole, cardamom is cultivated commercially in India, Sri Lanka, Guatemala and Tanzania. Cardamom is often named as the third most expensive spice in the world (after saffron and vanilla), and the high price reflects the high reputation of this most pleasantly scented spice. Cardamom is grown commercially in plantations under the shade of tall forest trees. It is a very labor‐intensive crop to produce. The fruits are picked individually by hand before they are fully ripe, over a period of several months.