Peperita

The full Italian way to Chili Pepper. The Best Chili ... in the WORLD! The farm is set in the heart of Tuscany, between Bolgheri and Bibbona in the province of Livorno. They work in one of the plainlands of the Maremma, just a few minutes away from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here they enjoy a special temperate microclimate with pleasant breezes all year round. The farmland is divided between one 4-hectare plot and two 2-hectare plots on the “I Doccioni” estate, which covers a total area of 20 hectares. They are a convinced advocate of natural agriculture, so they farm with Organic/Biodynamic methods certified by CCPB and DEMETER. The farm is very varied. In addition to the fields of chili peppers and vegetables, there are olive groves, orchards, and facilities for processing the produce with a warehouse and office. The house is in typical Tuscan style, faithfully restored in the traditional spirit. They decided to use the old materials and techniques of bio-architecture while complying with the highest health standards. For more than three generations they have grown and produced the very highest quality extra virgin olive oil, following the rules of respect for nature. As for the chili peppers, everything began with the production of chili-flavored Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. A simple beginning, but with the objective of creating a high-quality traditional product.

From words to deeds. They started by planting 600 chili plants. Harvesting and processing them confirmed the absolute need to produce the ingredients themselves for use in their products, to ensure the fruit is handled lovingly and treated with the utmost care in every phase of processing. The evolution has been continuous and overwhelming. To date, over 50,000 plants are growing with organic/biodynamic methods in their fields and 90% of them were from stabilized seeds of their cultivation (hence biological/biodynamic).

The principal plot is devoted to the needs of processing. There are chili pepper plants (with some 200 varieties being grown in the current season), numerous species of vegetables, and a long list of herbs, many sown with a green manure and inserted into a multi-year rotation with the productive part. The whole is surrounded by fig trees, blackberries, and hawthorn hedges, which are important because they provide shelter for birds and the natural predators of harmful insects. The two smaller portions are fully occupied by olive trees which are part of the family tradition and enable them to produce an extra virgin olive oil of excellent organic/biodynamic quality. They never use additives, food dyes, or chemichal preservatives of any kind! The methods of preservation and processing used are ‘delicate’ and completely respect the nutritional qualities of the foods so as to keep every ingredient in the natural state in which it developed. The product is exceptionally healthy and is a valuable part of a healthful, natural balanced, diet, one that fosters longevity.