Nicknamed the king of spices, pepper comes from the berries of different botanical varieties of pepper plant, which are lianas in the piperaceae family. For a long time, pepper was a highly coveted currency, reserved exclusively for the aristocracy. Today, it is the most widely consumed spice, and the most famous comes from Malabar, its place of origin in southern India. The black pepper berries are harvested green, almost ripe, and then dried in the sun. In the mountains of the Western Ghats, the rainforest remains the preferred region for growing pepper. Rich in biodiversity, these preserved forest ecosystems are home to pepper plants that grow naturally around trees. The Ghats range is one of the world's priority areas for preserving biodiversity. This wild black pepper grows in the heart of a humid forest, with very tall trees over a hundred years old, between coffee and cocoa trees. One of the special features of pepper is its ability to give off a flavour that is linked to its terroir. The Panniyur variety has a subtle, balanced flavour, with hints of cocoa.