Smoked Chili Flakes

$14.50

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 their spice in the area of Almopia.

Prospering in the area since the times of the Ottoman Empire, Karatzova peppers were all but forgotten in the 1980s, as more profitable crops made their presence and farmers massively turned away from traditional agriculture.

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Sourcing

Daphnis and Chloe’s 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 peppers 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 colored, 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 flavor, these pepper flakes form an ideal backbone for stews, soups and sauces. They are classically paired with legumes and sprinkled over baked Feta cheese. An ideal companion for avocado, broccoli, cauliflower and fresh cilantro, but equally delicious on a soft-boiled egg.