Have you ever wondered how we can verify the single origin status of our Sichuan pepper? I think, this was the most interesting realization of the trip for me. Tracing the single origin status of Sichuan pepper involves identifying the specific geographic and cultural roots of the spice, primarily found in the Sichuan region of China.
Authentic single-origin Sichuan pepper comes from designated growing areas where the climate, soil, and traditional farming practices contribute to its unique flavor profile and numbing sensation. Ensuring its single-origin status means following strict sourcing practices to prevent mixing with peppers from other regions, which may differ in quality and potency.
This traceability not only preserves the spice's distinct characteristics but also supports the cultural heritage and traditional harvesting techniques of local farmers who have cultivated it for generations. In this video and the next few paragraphs, you'll find out how we tag our peppers from our cooperative of 700 green Sichuan pepper farmers!
To learn more about the entirety of the harvesting process, click HERE.
So what happens AFTER our farmers pick the peppers? (not an intended tongue twister)
Check out this simple 4 step process in a short 1.5 minute video below!
As I was leaving our factory, I snapped a quick picture of the sign up on our factory wall that stipulates the standards of the Sichuan pepper haul. Each hub of peppers need to hit certain lengths, weights, and not contain too many leaves or twigs to be accepted.
After the weighed peppers are preliminarily accepted, they are wheeled to the incredibly cold refrigeration storage for it to mantain its freshness.
Look at the massive haul of peppers we've already collected! Can you believe this is just a small fraction of the daily haul. There is more yet to come and this whole cycle repeats itself the next day over the whole summer!
This humble tag is the key to documenting single origin! My mandarin chinese is terrible so I needed Yao to help translate. After logging the harvest into the computer system, the tag is attached to each storage basket of peppers with the name of the farmer, the date of the haul, time, the net weight, and gross weight.
