Discover a new world of naturally superior herbal seasonings and infusions.
It’s interesting that whilst the Mediterranean is home to a large variety of aromatic plants, the finest examples rarely ever cross the narrow borders of their native lands. You could hunt for Mediterranean herbs at food markets, spice stores and delis around the world, but even your best finds won’t compare to the hand-picked oregano bunches that Greek women dry on their balconies during the summer months, or to the wild thyme shrubs that fill the islands’ air with their dainty fragrance each spring. And this is what Daphnis and Chloe is all about; sourcing this genuine bounty that can only be encountered in the natural state of things.
Put simply, Greece is where some of the highest quality Mediterranean cooking herbs naturally prefer to grow. The varieties that grow in Greek soil can contain up to 30 times more essential oils (a parameter that defines their quality) than other typically available herbs sourced form elsewhere. Moreover, thanks to its immense diversity of microclimates, Greece is home to an infinite list of endemic plants. D&C are sourced from natural plantations and family-run farms where the produce is grown according to organic agricultural principles.
SMOKED CHILI FLAKES SACHET
DETAILS
Here’s a fact that not many people know: Peppers play an important role in the culinary legacy of Northern Greece, with numerous local varieties claiming a special place in the kitchen. One of the most noteworthy are the medium-sized, sweet and hot red peppers that are grown for spice in the area of Almopia.
Prospering in the area since the times of the Ottoman Empire, Karatzova peppers were left behind in the 1980s, as more profitable crops made their presence and farmers massively turned away from traditional agriculture.
Packaging: Clear sachet 60g/2.21oz.
Sourcing: Our suppliers are one of the few families cultivating this traditional crop nowadays. The hot and sweet peppers of Almopia ripen at the end of the season, in September. After being washed and hand-sorted, the fruits are slow-dried on birch wood for 10 days. During this period the farmers work in shifts guarding the fire night and day, to make sure it never goes out. The richly coloured, aromatic peppers are then stemmed and crushed manually, giving life to the spice collectively known as "boukovo".
How to Use: Pleasantly smoky, sweet, mellow and with a lasting flavour, these pepper flakes form an ideal backbone for stews, soups and sauces. They are classically paired with pulses and sprinkled over baked Feta cheese. An ideal companion for avocado, broccoli, cauliflower and fresh coriander, but equally gratifying on a soft-boiled egg.
As a customer once said: it’s like bacon for vegetarians! ;-D