Lampong Pepper: The Ultimate Black Pepper

Experienced chefs around the world who specialize in gourmet cooking used a variety of herbs and spices to achieve wonderful flavor in the foods they prepare. When the menu calls for black pepper, Lampong pepper is the preferred choice for its potent flavoring capability. This particular variety of black pepper is known as "King of Spices" and is most common in tropical climates where the plant can grow up to be 30 feet tall.

Black pepper or piper nigra is a staple condiment for gourmet cooking in kitchens worldwide, Lampong pepper is considered to be the ultimate variety of this spice. Beyond its ability to season food, it has a wealth of healthy benefits in the form of vitamins, fiber and minerals.

The family of spices has a long history of use not only in foods but also in health care. The Lampong pepper plant is indigenous to India where this spice has been highly regarded for thousands of years. Other countries have coveted black pepper as well; it was used as a currency and as an offering to the gods in ancient Greece. During the middle ages, the amount of black pepper held in stock was regarded as a symbol of wealth.

The use of black pepper as a gourmet cooking item is due to its high nutritional value and the ability to support a healthy lifestyle. Black pepper stimulates the digestive system to produce hydrochloric acid that is required to extract the nutrients from food your body needs. In addition, all of the varieties of black pepper assist in maintaining a healthy weight level; the outer layer of peppercorns support the body's ability to break down fat cells. Black pepper is also an excellent source of manganese, vitamin K, iron, and fiber.

The most common form of black pepper found in the United States is usually from the most common grade purchased at the lowest price. The superior form of black pepper is produced in the southeastern region of Sumatra. The Lampong district is considered the center of pepper industry in Indonesia. Lampong pepper differs from Indian pepper in the size of the berries: being smaller they produce a higher level of flavor.

The different varieties of black pepper each have their own unique level of potency. The difference in the color of peppercorns is due to the time they are harvested and the method of processing used: black pepper is produced from berries picked when they are immature, as they begin to ripen from green to yellow. The peppercorns are then boiled and sun dried.

W.T. Rawleigh founded Rawleigh Products in the late 1800s to create a line of "Good Health Products" that possessed both strength and quality.