Seven-Pepper Blend

Seven Pepper Blend from Altes Gewürzamt, fruity

The Seven Pepper Blend from Altes Gewürzamt is a bright, fruity mix of black, white, long, and green pepper, complemented by chili, lemon myrtle, and Szechuan pepper. Seven ingredients, then, and an aroma that brings citrus to mind rather than fire.

Seven Pepper Blend is named after the number of its ingredients, and it is crafted at Altes Gewürzamt in Klingenberg am Main. Four types of pepper form the base of the blend, while lemon myrtle and Szechuan pepper provide freshness, and the chili provides a spice that never overpowers.

Lemon myrtle, Szechuan, and four types of pepper

Lemon myrtle and Szechuan pepper provide the bright, citrusy scent that one does not expect from a pepper mill.

The chili ranks only fifth on the list of ingredients and is supported by the four peppers rather than being pushed to the forefront. Those who shy away from heat will get along well with this variety, and those looking for more fire can simply keep a jar of chili nearby.

Of the seven ingredients, five bear the name "pepper," but only four of them are botanically related. Chili belongs to the nightshade family and is more closely related to the tomato and potato, while lemon myrtle is an Australian tree from the myrtle family.

The long pepper is the exception, as it grows as a small catkin consisting of many tiny fruits rather than as a round grain. Its aroma leans toward the sweet, almost like cinnamon, and this warmth keeps the bright citrus notes grounded. Altes Gewürzamt places it here alongside three relatives that all originate from the same climbing plant.

On summer salad, grilled vegetables, and light fish

Salads, grilled vegetables, light meat, and fish embrace the fruity lightness of the Seven particularly well.

On a summer salad with tomato and feta, the citrus notes really come into their own; they act just as fresh on grilled zucchini, and a poached egg handles them just as well. Sprinkle the blend over the finished dish to ensure the full aroma remains in the room.

The bright scent is provided by the lemon myrtle, whose essential oil smells more clearly of lemon than many fruits, yet it brings no acidity and therefore does not make anything watery. Because such oils are volatile, it belongs at the end and not in a boiling pot.

Goat cheese, steamed asparagus, and a plate of strawberries also pair well with it, because its citrus side is better suited to fruit than pure heat. For hearty, quick-seared dishes, you are better off reaching for a coarser variety; here, lightness is what counts.

Why the husk matters in this pepper blend

Only the dried husk of the Szechuan pepper is in the tin, because the shiny black seed inside tastes bitter and is crunchy, which is why it is removed during sorting. The husk, however, carries the entire citrus aroma and the subtle tingle.

Green pepper is the same unripe grain as black pepper, only carefully preserved instead of sun-dried, which is why it tastes grassy and fresh. White pepper, on the other hand, is the ripe grain without its skin, milder in tone but sharper at the core.

Altes Gewürzamt crushes and grinds the varieties separately and mixes them only afterward, which benefits the aroma. The blend enters the tin partly crushed and partly ground, so that coarse and fine particles can work side by side.

Related varieties can be found in our pepper selection, and if you would like to browse, take a stroll through the shelves of Altes Gewürzamt.