Who does not love Szechuan Pepper? Our Chinese and Japanese Szechuan Pepper plants were probably our most popular herbs this year and therefore, it is only fitting that they are our Herb of the month for October.
Famed for its "ma" and "la" qualities, it is the seed cases of the Szechuan Pepper that are highly sought after. The "ma" is the the numbing sensation that sets the tongue and lips tingling and and the "la" is the spicy heat. Szechuan pepper is usually more "ma" than "la", and so is often accompanied by chilli in hotter dishes.
Visitors to Jekka’s Herbetum might have been treated to the taste. You will be guided to split a seed case in two and nibble slowly on a single half at the front of your mouth. The sensation takes time to develop and is very complex, so be patient and do not rush this. The unique taste is different for everyone and some people are over powered by the numbing qualities and others experience a strong citrus taste. The latter is due to the Zanthoxylum species being part of the Rutaceae family that contains all the citrus plants.
1: Japanese Szechuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum) 2: Chinese Szechuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum simulans)
In early Autumn, the Szechuan Pepper is looking splendid as the leaves turn and the seed husks form a bright red case. It is also time to harvest, the pericarps have split open and started to spit out their seed. Whether you are after the cases for flavour or the seeds for propagation, October is a wonderful month for the Szechuan Pepper.
Our All About Herbs blog this month is on Szechuan Pepper and can be seen through the link below. This builds on Jekka's previous Herbs of the month: Bay (January), Rosemary (February), Salad Burnet (March), French Tarragon (April), Angelica (May), Alliums (June), Lavender (July), Basil (August) and Mint (September).
We are delighted to now be able to sell Szechuan Pepper seed of both the Japanese and Chinese varieties.
One of Jekka's five top tips for sowing seeds, as seen in her blog, is the requirement to sometimes trick or reproduce nature. This is the case for Szechuan Pepper seeds that require stratification to germinate. In order to do this, place the seeds into a plastic bag with damp (not wet) horticultural sand and put in the lettuce compartment of a fridge for 3-4 weeks prior to sowing. You can sow the seeds from early spring until mid-summer.
For the first time, Jekka's is opening this Winter for Christmas and in support of Caring in Bristol. This will be a wonderful opportunity for friends and new Herb enthusiast to come to the Herb Farm for some festive cheer, gifts, treats and, of course, Herbs.
