Cubebs - 1KG

Cubebs - 1KG

Cubebs or tailed peppers are the berry-looking fruits of the piper plant, collected before they are ripe and then dried. They are highly flavoursome, aromatic, slightly bitter and a cross between allspice and black pepper with a hint of nutmeg. Cubebs are a popular ingredient in Indonesian cuisine and gin distilling.

Cubeb is an Indonesian plant cultivated for its fruit and oil. The fruits are gathered before they ripen and left to dry. Once dried, they’re similar in appearance (and taste) to black pepper, though easy to discern as they’re usually sold with their tails attached.

Cubeb has long been used in medicine and has its place in irony. For example, cubeb cigarettes were sold in the Victorian era as an asthma treatment. It is also sold as an aphrodisiac and is featured in many love potions.

Other Names: Piper cubeba, Tailed Pepper, Java Pepper, Jawanese Pepper, Cabé Jawa, Bi Ji, Kubebenpfeffer, Cubèbe, Poivre à Queue, Koubeba, Kubéba Bors, Prik Hang, Kubebapeppar and Kabab chini.

Uses in Gin
Cubeb generally manifests as an aromatic pepperiness in gin, but it can also contribute lemon, pine or floral notes.

Cubeb berries have long been used alongside juniper as their unique combination of intense lavender-like floral aroma and a cracked pepper taste allow them to pair well with it and other core gin botanicals. Cubebs can give a gin both a soft lift and deep finish to gin, all without revealing why or what’s behind it.
The pervasive nature of the spice is one to be wary of, as it can easily dominate a gin if not kept to a small and carefully controlled quantity.

Other Uses
Add extra flavour to curries and stews with our versatile Cubebs or use in the same way as you would peppercorns or allspice berries (you can even add them to a peppermill along with some black peppercorns and coriander seeds for everyday seasoning with a twist!) Grab your pestle and mortar, grind Cubebs down and add to sugar cookies for a peppery spiced flavour or mix into homemade pates, burgers, sausages, soups, and sauces.