Saturday, 12 April 2008

NATIVE MOUNTAIN PEPPER

I have been using the Mountain Pepper (Tasmania lanceolata) leaf and dried berries in cooking for a while now and I like their peppery and spicy taste. On 30/03/08 on Landline there was an article on a plantation in Victoria which grows them, amongst other things, as a plantation small tree. Landline video

It is the first time I have actually seen what the plants look like in a mature form. Since I have one in a tub here at home and it is growing tall and thin, I was wondering if I should prune it to get it to bush out. From the video it looks to me like it will begin to bush out soon anyway. There is more information on the Outback Pride site including details of a plantation in Mount Gambier grown by the Bunderi people.

The reason I keep putting info on here about these bush foods is that we Australians have access to some wonderful flavours that the rest of the world is beating us to. Why buy peppercorns from a foreign tree grown who knows where when we have a beautiful, native version growing in South Australia and Victoria and readily available on our doorstep?? This is a pretty plant and mine is growing beautifully, under a shady tree - I would describe it as an understory shrub. I think I will get some more from the Showgrounds Farmers' Market and make a lush little hedge with them, in a shady part of the garden.

6 comments:

Maggie said...

I agree it is a wonderful pepper.
Much stronger than black pepper, I find I need to use much less in cooking.
You are probably likely to get them at Stirling Market, I have not seen the native plant stall for awhile.

Maggie said...

Kate, the pink pepper like fruit that is all around the Adelaide streets, si edible, i have been told. What is it? People call them peppercorn trees, I have some it tastes good.

Pattie Baker said...

I'm digging the Australian mountain pepper here in the USA! Very nice!

Belinda said...

Hi Kate,

Any idea on where I might find seed source in Victoria, or barring that in Australia. Sounds like something I would love to grow.

Kind Regards
Belinda

Kate said...

If you look at the landline clip you will see who grows it in Victoria. Maybe you could ring them and ask.I bought mine as a seedling from a farmers' market here in Adelaide. Tumbeela is the grower's business name. You could ring them too.Good luck and please let me know if you have any success Belinda.

Belinda said...

Awesome...

Thanks for the info Kate

Kind Regards
Belinda