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Cloud Forest Cardamom Seeds

Fragrant, crunchy seeds are bright and intensely aromatic.

Regular price
$9.99
Regular price
Sale price
$9.99
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per 
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Sale price
$9.99

Why Burlap & Barrel?

  • Single origin spices sourced directly from small farms
  • Over 10,000 5-star reviews
  • Guaranteed to wow you or we'll replace

Our Cloud Forest Cardamom is sweet and tart, reminiscent of summer fruits, fresh herbs and cut grass. It comes straight from a single-estate regenerative farm in the high-altitude cloud forests of Guatemala. The fruit turns yellow as it ripens on the vine and has a softer and sweeter flavor that makes it a perfect upgrade to standard green cardamom.

The fragrant, crunchy seeds have been removed from the pods, and they’re ready to dot pastries and jams and add depth to your favorite chicken recipe and give your coffee a Middle Eastern twist.

The grinder that the seeds come in is perfect for coarsely ground cardamom seeds with a wonderful crunchy texture. If you prefer your cardamom ground more finely, unscrew the top and grind the seeds in an electric grinder or mortar and pestle.

Looking for whole cardamom pods? We've got 'em here.

Looking for ground cardamom? It's here.

Highlights

Origin:

Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Aliases:

Decorticated cardamom seeds

Process:

Hot-air-dried

Ingredients:

Cardamom seeds, decorticated (Elettaria cardamomum)

Tasting notes:

Ginger • Apricots • Jungle Flowers

Cooking tips

  • Grind into rice, legume and grain-based dishes
  • Use in a rub for chicken and lamb
  • Add to fruit jams, marmalades and syrups
  • Grind into coffee, tea or smoothies

SOURCING

Sourcing image

Guatemala exports 80% of the world’s cardamom, but the spice is virtually unknown in local markets. It is grown exclusively for export, mostly on tiny plots by indigenous farmers in the country’s remote mountainous region.

Guatemala's cloud forests are ideal for growing cardamom, which thrives in temperate high-altitude environments with plenty of rainfall. The comparatively low temperatures in the mountains during the harvest season (November-January) ensure that the cardamom has very high levels of fragrant essential oils.

Our cardamom is grown on one of the only single-estate cardamom farms in Guatemala, which is also the only farm to manage the supply chain in its entirety, from cultivation to harvesting, drying and export. Cardamom is officially graded only by its size and green color; however, those factors don’t correlate to flavor. This cardamom has a yellow tinge since it's allowed to ripen fully, resulting in softer, fruitier, and overall more complex flavor.

Meet the Farmer

Our relationship with partner farmer Don Amilcar in Guatemala is one of our longest-standing and closest farmer partnerships. Maybe he was amused when Ethan first visited the farm in 2016 and hauled back a duffel back full of Don Amilcar's vine-ripened cardamom pods in 2016. We all hoped that would be the beginning of a long partnership... and it was.

In 2020, we brought in more than 20,000 pounds of spices from him, which, among other things, helped him build a new farmhouse. (Last photo, scroll to the end. )

Don Amilcar planted his first cardamom vine when he was 9 years old. In the years since then, he's created the only vertically integrated cardamom operation in Guatemala with his own farm, his own drying facility and now, his own export operation run by his daughter Meyllin.

His farming operation is so impressive and produces cardamom so good that Saveur called him "the farmer shaking up the Guatemalan cardamom trade."

Want to check out his farm? You can watch a short video we made with him here.

HEALTH BENEFITS

While we do not make any health claims on any of our spices, there has been some historic and recent evidence that cardamom can potentially be helpful for:

  • Antimicrobial & Antifungal Properties: Cardamom shows natural antimicrobial and antifungal properties. (ABC) 
  • Anti-Cancer & Immune System Benefits: The components of cardamom may provide anticancer and immune system benefits and cytotoxic properties. (ABCDE
  • Blood Sugar Control & Diabetes: Studies show possible benefits for both short- and long-term glucose control, and possible benefits for pre-diabetic individuals.(ABC) 
  • Cholesterol Reduction: Reduction of triglycerides and possible improvement in both LDL and HDL levels.  (ABC) 
  • Preventing Tooth Decay & Infections: May help prevent tooth decay and periodontal infections.(AB) 
  • Reducing Nausea & Vomiting: Topical essential oil mixtures including cardamom show potential to reduce nausea and vomiting postoperatively, and aromatherapy reduces chemotherapy-induced and pregnancy induced nausea. (AB)

Further clinical studies are warranted and in progress. Please always consult your healthcare provider. This is not intended as medical advice.

how do we compare? Supermarket Icon Supermarket Fair Trade Icon Fair Trade
Heirloom Spices Yes No No
Fair Prices for Farmers Yes No Depends on global commodity price
Time in Storage None. We import spices at harvest Up to 10 years At least 1 year
Flavor Profile Intense & fresh Stale & bland Inconsistent
Knows Farmers Names Yes No Unlikely
Customer Service Fast responses from real people! No There might be a 1-800 number?
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