The history of the spice trade is, the history of pepper, the 'King of Spices'. Pepper has been moving westward from India for 4,000 years. It has been used in trading as an exchange medium like money and, at times, has been valued so highly that a single peppercorn dropped on the floor would be hunted like a lost pearl. Attila the Hun reputedly demanded 3,000 pounds in weight of pepper in 408AD as part of a ransom for the city of Rome. In the Middle Ages, there was a French saying, 'As dear as pepper'. In England, rent or taxes could be played in pounds of pepper. Two well-known types of peppercorns come from India's Malabar Coast: Malabar pepper and Tellicherry pepper.Two of its celebrated varieties are `Malabar Garbled’ and `Tellichery Extra bold’. The finest Indian pepper is grown in the monsoon forests of the Malabar coast in Kerala which is Wayanad .

Bouquet: aromatic, pungent

Flavour: Black pepper is very pungent and fiery. Hotness Scale: 8

White pepper is less pungent. Hotness Scale: 7

ATTRIBUTED MEDICINAL PROPERTIES: Stomachic; carminative; aromatic stimulant; antibacterial; diaphoretic. Stimulates the taste-buds causing reflex stimulation of gastric secretions, improving digestion and treating gastro-intestinal upsets and flatulence. Pepper calms nausea and raises body temperature, making it valuable for treating fevers and chill.