We decided to make our trip to the pepper plantation with the help of a scooter. So we rented a scooter for $ 5 a day and went to the pepper plantation, but as it turned out later, not just pepper as there were many exotic crops there.
The distance of about 25 km one way seemed trivial to travel on a scooter, unfortunately Cambodia is not a highway, and most of the route was field paths with holes and stones. It was not pink, I would even say it was red, because we were all covered with red dust from the local soil.
On the way to the plantation, we stopped every few kilometers at local shops. They were deserted, but as soon as the white tourist showed up, they were full of interested locals.
During one of the stops, I noticed two large cauldrons on the other side of the road. It turned out that several dozen chickens were fried simultaneously in one pot, and pork knuckles in the other. It was not a preparation for a great celebration, but a traditional way of preparing dishes for a local eatery.
On the way, we stopped at the Secret Lake, I don't know where the name comes from, but a very nice lake, a favorite vacation spot for the locals.
An abandoned sugarcane squeezing machine stood by the lake. If someone has not tried this drink, I recommend it with a lot of crushed ice and lime juice.
We got to the Pepper Farm in Kampot. Admission is free, but you can only move around with a guide. We had to wait a while for the guide to return with the previous group. In the meantime, you can spend time in a local restaurant combined with a pepper products shop.
Okay, it's our turn, we're going to check out the farm. As mentioned before, there are many other exotic plants growing on the farm. There was lemongrass, chili peppers, passion fruit and many varieties of pepper.
There is a cool spot on the farm with a Khmer cooking school.
For the first time in my life I heard and saw the so-called long pepper. I tried it - hellishly sharp. A variety unparalleled in stores in Europe.
I had the opportunity to try peppercorns straight from the bush. I must admit that it has little to do with the pepper sold in stores around the world. This is incredible strength and spice.
After visiting the farm, we return to the restaurant, where we tasting various types of pepper. Of course, it is already processed and properly cooked pepper, but the taste is still different from what we can buy in supermarkets.
The tasting is peculiar because it is combined with a survey. During the tasting, we get a form in which we enter, after tasting a given variety of pepper, what it would be best suited for, e.g. meat, poultry, fish, cheese, vegetables etc. There were about 10 varieties of pepper to evaluate, and I will remember their taste forever.
After the tasting, we can go to the store and buy the varieties that we liked the most. We did so, we bought several varieties. This is pepper that won't screw up the food.
Kampot is a charming place where, apart from a nice boulevard, you can also eat well. I liked the happy hours the most, where you can sip beer from 1pm to 8pm in frozen glasses for a note !! $ 0.5
