Piper nigrum

The history of the spice trade is actually the search for pepper.

Peppercorns and long pepper (longon) from India's Malabar coast came to Europe 3000 years ago. In 408 AD, the Goths demanded peppercorn as part of their prize when they captured Rome; later, peppercorn was traded ounce for ounce of gold, and was used as currency to pay rent, dowry and taxes.

Today, peppercorn is known as the king of spices or the main spice and accounts for one quarter of the total world trade in spices. In terms of volume and value, peppercorn remains the most important spice and generally the most added ingredient to dishes after water and salt.

Black, white, green and orange or red peppercorn (we are not talking about the pink peppercorn that is most often used in peppercorn mixtures, it is not related to this plant) come from the same plant, but they are processed differently and harvested in different periods.

Berries grow in bunches on vines that climb trees or artificial supports and can grow up to 10 m in height. The vine begins to bear fruit only in the third year, and it is in full force from the age of 7. Bunches of peppercorn, numbering about 50 berries, are harvested by hand in different periods depending on whether black, white, green or red peppercorn is harvested.

WHITE PEPPERCORN is harvested when the berry is fully ripe, and only the seed without the outer membrane is used. Removing the membrane requires a soaking process in which the flesh of the outer membrane softens and begins to decompose, and then the membrane is completely removed by rubbing, after which the peppercorn undergoes drying.

White peppercorn differs in taste from black peppercorn due to the lack of some ingredients that have been removed along with the outer covering.

The main producers are Vietnam with 1/3 of the total production, followed by India, Indonesia, Brazil and Malaysia.

FLAVOR

White peppercorn is less aromatic than black peppercorn and can smell stale, but it has a sharp pungency and leaves a sweet taste in the mouth.

USED ARE unripe and ripe fruits.

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

When ground, peppercorn quickly loses its aroma and taste, so it is best to buy whole berries and grind them in a pepper mill or crush them in a mortar as needed. In a well-closed container, peppercorns can last for more than a year.

Peppercorn has different characteristics in the various regions from which it originates, so it is classified according to where it grows.

Generally speaking, the flavor of peppercorn depends on the amount of essential oil it contains, while the amount of piperine alkaloids justifies its spiciness. White peppercorn contains less essential oil than black peppercorn because the oil is found in the shell, which is removed during cleaning; this also explains why white peppercorn, although pungent, has a weaker aroma. Over time, the strength of the flavor compounds in essential oils evaporates.

USE IN COOKING

White peppercorn is used in light coloured sauces and cream soups to preserve their attractive appearance. Use it carefully because it is caustic and sharp.

In France, mignonette peppercorn is often used, a mixture of black and white peppercorn, black for aroma, white for strength.

IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR baharat, berbere, garam masala, ras el hanout, quatre epices.

IT IS GOOD WITH most dishes.

COMBINES WELL WITH basil, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coconut milk, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, lemon, lime, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, thyme, turmeric.