Most cooks today don't appreciate the plentiful and
inexpensive supply of a spice that was once so valuable
and rare it was sometimes used as currency. Its merit was
so high that many of the European sailing expeditions
during the 15th century were undertaken with the main
purpose of finding alternate trade routes to the Far East,
the primary source of the prized peppercorn and other
spices.
Pepper in one form or other is used around the
world to enhance the flavor of both savory and sweet
dishes. Because it stimulates gastric juices, it delivers a
digestive bonus as well.
The world's most popular spice is a berry that grows in grapelike clusters on the
pepperplant (Piper nigrum ), a climbing vine native to
India and Indonesia. The berry is processed to produce
three basic types of peppercorn — black, white and
green. The most common is the black peppercorn, which
is picked when the berry is not quite ripe, then dried until
it shrivels and the skin turns dark brown to black. It's the
strongest flavored of the three — slightly hot with a hint of
sweetness. Among the best black peppers are the Tellicherry
and the Lampong.
The less pungent white peppercorn has been
allowed to ripen, after which the skin is removed and the berry
is dried. The result is a smaller, smoother-skinned, light-tan
berry with a milder flavor. White pepper is used to a great extent
for appearance, usually in light-colored sauces or foods where
dark specks of black pepper would stand out.
The green peppercorn is the soft, underripe berry that's usually preserved
in brine. It has a fresh flavor that's less pungent than the berry
in its other forms.
