A few years ago, a spice from the Shan State mountains of Myanmar enchanted us with its unprecedented lime and grapefruit flavor! 🌿 A gift from Adrian's father, this Sichuan relative was a flavor revelation we couldn’t forget.
Ma Khen drying in the sun at farmers house in Shan State, Myanmar
Fast forward, our brilliant friends Eliot and Las from @Ping embarked on a trip to the northern part of Thailand 🔥 They returned, bearing another sample of the spice, the rare thai Makhwaen pepper, exploding with that memorable citrusy magic!
But this time it was different.
The taste reminded of another citrusfruit, mandarin! After allot of research we realized that this was yet another variety of flower pepper from the heart lands of south east Asia.
We discovered that it is used in the north western part on Vietnam with the best quality coming from Dien Bien. Luckily one of our partners was working with the spice and we received the first batch of the -22 harvest in the beginning of this summer.
And what a spice! Tingling sensations with strong character of mandarin and clementin.
Being quality nerds that we have become we knew that the product could reach even higher heights. For the ongoing harvest, we've collaborated with our partner to allow the fruits to linger longer on the plant before the final harvest, selecting only the most open and aromatic fruit pods.
Very exciting to see the final result of this progression.
🌟 The Quest Continues! 🌟
Our journey with the Ma Khen pepper has been nothing short of a flavorful adventure, unlocking secrets from the distant mountains of Shan State. As we continue to explore, each spice unveils a new chapter of culinary tales, tastes and traditions.
Join us on this ongoing spice quest, where every grain tells a story, and every aroma leads to a new discovery!
