Black Peppercorns

A1 Fruiterers & Grocers
Home	Info	Products & Service	Suggestions	Contact Info

Products & Service

Black Peppercorns BSBP.5

�3.99

Whole immature berries. Use in stocks, add to pickle or grind down to season any dish.Peppercorns
(Fr. poivre) They are the berries of a vine plant (piper nigrum) native to tropical Asia. Peppercorns should not be confused with the chile capsicum peppers discussed earlier. Peppercorns vary in size, color, pungency and flavor. Many of these differences are the result of variations in climate and growing conditions. Good-quality pepper is expensive and should be purchased whole and ground fresh in a peppermill as needed.

Whole peppercorns will last indefinitely if kept dry. They should be stored well covered in a cool, dark place. Black and white peppercorns are produced from the same plant, but are picked and processed differently. For black peppercorns, the berries are picked when green and simply dried whole in the sun. Black pepper has a warm, pungent flavor and aroma. Tellicherry peppercorns from the southwest coast of India are generally considered the finest black peppercorns in the world and are priced accordingly.

For white peppercorns, the berries are allowed to ripen until they turn red. The ripened berries are allowed to ferment, then the outer layer of skin is washed off. Today, white pepper may be produced by mechanically removing the outer skin from black peppercorns. This is not true white pepper, and the resulting product should be labeled decorticated. White pepper has less aroma than black pepper but is useful in white sauces or where the appearance of black speckles is undesirable.

Green peppercorns are unripened berries that are either freeze-dried or pickled in brine or vinegar. Pickled green peppercorns are soft, with a fresh, sour flavor similar to capers. They are excellent in spiced butters and sauces or with fish. Pink peppercorns are actually the berries of a South American tree, not a vine pepper plant.

Pink peppercorns are available dried or pickled in vinegar. Although attractive, their flavor is bitter and pinelike, with less spiciness than true pepper. Pink peppercorns are no longer available in some areas because of reported toxic side effects.