What’s black and red and green and white and pink all over? Why, pepper, of course!
Growing up in the Midwest, we always had a saltshaker and a peppershaker on our table. I avoided the peppershaker like the Biblical plague then, as the condiment was too spicy and exotic for my beige Wisconsin palate.
As I have grown older and wiser, I have come to appreciate the snappy, biting flavor of the round berry. Pepper is a berry? Yes, it is. Technically, it’s the fruit of a flowering vine from the Pipraceae family. The color of the peppercorn is determined by the time of harvest and the treatment of the berries after harvesting. Brining produces green pepper; early plucking produces black pepper; and allowing the berry to ripen fully produces red pepper.
Often called the “King of Spice,” pepper has a karma and dramatic history matched by no other spice. In the past, when it was literally worth as much as gold, it was used to pay taxes and rent, ransom Rome, launch ships, colonize nations, cure kings, and change the world. In the late 15th century, Vasco da Gama stumbled upon a route to India, a country that produces the finest peppercorns on earth. His route helped create a Portuguese monopoly on the spice trade, and sent the wealth and power of the Italian city-states, Venice and Genoa, smashing to the cobbles. Not for long, mind you, but long enough to release the spice from its exclusive use in fine cookery for the supremely wealthy “King’s Only” clans, and gently place the piper berries into the callused hands of the common man. This spectacular historic tale alone is enough reason to praise the poivre and pound your pestle!
The peppershaker is banned from contemporary foodie culture—the fresh-ground spice is everything. Keeping in mind the grind—it is essential to store your peppercorn combos in airtight containers. I prefer glass jars with super-tight lids, and I keep my pepper in the dark. When exposed to air and light, its flavors can evaporate, resulting in tastelessness after some time. Who needs that?
The uses for pepper are endless, leading down many spicy roads of possibility. Try white pepper in egg salad, black peppercorns in chai tea, or grind yourself silly over strawberry salad.
I had an incredible and unusual food experience in Las Vegas a couple of years ago: coffee-and-pepper-crusted steak.
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