What are Organic Heirloom Foods?

Heirloom Crop Varieties

According to Seed Savers Exchange (a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving rare plant varieties), an heirloom plant is “any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family.” iv While some argue that an heirloom variety must be at least 50 to 100 years old, all agree that heirloom fruits and vegetables are unique plant varieties which are genetically distinct from the commercial varieties popularized by industrial agriculture.

Sustainable farmers who grow heirloom fruits and vegetables help to preserve genetic diversity by ensuring that these unique plant varieties are not completely replaced by the few commercial varieties that are mass-produced by industrial agriculture. They also preserve delicious, unique and interesting kinds of fruits, vegetables and grains that add color and flavor to meals that everyone can enjoy.

Shade-Grown, Hand-Harvested Heirloom Pepper from the 1500s Spice Trade

HimalaSalt's Organic Heirloom Long Pepper is shade grown in Bali and hand-harvested in the monsoon forest. This uniquely shaped and flavored peppercorn has delicious notes of cardamom, nutmeg, and a hint of chocolate aroma. This highly prized heirloom is exquisite ground heavily in melted garlic butter as a dip for steamed artichokes, works beautifully to bring out flavors in fish, game, and vegetable grills, and is heavenly in the most delicate sauces, soups, stews, and for flavoring clear broth. See our mouth watering Organic Long Pepper Ice Cream recipe created by Chef Creighton Peet.

An heirloom from the 1500s spice trade, our Long pepper is sustainably grown and harvested. Our heirloom crops help to preserve the threatened regional biodiversity and traditional cultures of Indonesia, and are certified organic, kosher, and green-e.Packaged in a refillable, recyclable grinder, while 5% of profits go to the environment and source community.

Check out our HimalaSalt organic Cubeb Pepper, also a sustainably grown heirloom from the 1500s spice trade. Cubeb is traditionally used in SE Asian cuisine, however our create local chefs have used it in Ginger Cubeb Madelines, topped with ice cream, fresh fruit, or a HimalaSalted caramel drizzle (made with agave instead of sugar).

For those of you who are pepper afficianados, you'll find you can't cook the same without our complete set of 7 100% organic peppercorn grinders, pink from Brazil, freeze-dried green from India, long from Bali, cubeb from Java, Tellichery from Malibar, and white from Muntok.