Spice
Cubeb
Cubeb is the tailed dried berry of Piper cubeba, with pepper heat and camphor-allspice notes. Historical in European and Indonesian cookery, it still seasons spice blends, gin botanicals, and North African recipes. Distinct from black pepper by the stem tail on each berry.
Also known as: Kemukus, Kabbāba
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Breeds, cuts & preparations
Variety
Cubeb BerryJava PepperPiper cubebaTailed Pepper
Source
Indoor FarmedOutdoor FarmedWild
Provenance
BiodynamicExport GradeFair TradeHand HarvestedNon-GMOOrganicPesticide FreeSingle OriginSun Dried
Preparation
CrackedDriedFreshGroundPowderRoastedToastedWhole
CommonCharacteristic
Allspice-likeAromaticCamphorComplexPepperyPungentWarmWoody
History
ID
Cubeb peppers were traded from Indonesia through Asian spice networks.
IT
Medieval European medicine and cookery used cubeb among exotic peppers.
Cubeb use declined in the West but persisted in Indonesian and Maghrebi traditions.
Specialty spice and cocktail cultures revived cubeb for aroma complexity.