Jar is the Wolof name for Guinea pepper (Xylopia aethiopica), an African spice made from the dried fruit of a tree in the custard-apple family. It is what turns an ordinary coffee into Café Touba.
It isn’t pepper
Despite its common name, Guinea pepper is not in the same family as black pepper (Piper nigrum). Its flavor is different: woodier, smokier, with a mild bitterness and a lingering warmth rather than a sharp bite.
You recognize it by its shape: small, dark, elongated pods rather than round grains.
Its role in the recipe
Jar is combined with the coffee before or during roasting. Heat releases its aromatic compounds and fixes them into the grind. That’s why you can’t improvise a Café Touba by adding the spice to the cup: the marriage happens at the roast.
Dosing changes everything. Too little, and the spice disappears behind the coffee. Too much, and it dominates and turns bitter. It’s the roaster’s main craft.
Where you’ll find it
Jar reaches well beyond coffee. In West Africa it goes into many stews and broths, and holds an important place in traditional uses.
Three doses, three experiences
In our range, it’s the amount of jar that sets the recipes apart:
- Regular — a traditional, balanced dose.
- More Clove — the same dose, rounded out with clove.
- Nouroul Jamal — a stronger dose, for a ceremonial cup.
If you’re new to Café Touba, start with Regular: it’s the best reference point before exploring the others.