In the Penja region, mineral-rich volcanic soils and an equatorial climate create distinctive conditions for growing pepper. The clusters are harvested by hand. The berries are then soaked, peeled, washed and dried in the sun to preserve their aromatic qualities.
Mount Kupe last erupted thousands of years ago, but its gift remains: volcanic ash, mineral-dense and faintly acidic, gives the Penja pepper its hallmark aroma: round, warm, never sharp.
From November to March, families walk the rows at dawn. Each cluster is checked by hand, picked only when the outer husk just begins to blush. Patience is the rule: a pepper picked one day too early loses its perfume forever.
The berries are soaked, removed from their husk, washed, and then dried in the sun.
“We don't grow this pepper. The valley grows it. We are only its keepers.”
