Pepper Facts and Folklore

General Description Pepper is the dried berry of Piper nigrum. This vine can grow up to ten feet tall is indigenous to India and Asia. Pepper is actually berries that are picked about nine months after flowering. (This is true pepper, and should not be confused with paprika, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, red pepper and bell pepper, which are fruits from the capiscum family.) Black Peppercorns, the spiciest, is berries that are picked unripe. The berries used for White Peppercorns are ripened on the vine and soaked so that their outer hulls are easily removed. Green Peppercorns are immature berries which are freeze-dried or packed in brine for preservation.
Folklore Because peppercorns can be stored for many years without losing its flavor and aroma, it has long been known as the master spice. Pepper was so precious in ancient times that it was used as money to pay taxes, tributes, dowries, and rent. It was weighed like gold and used as a common medium of exchange. In A.D. 410, when Rome was captured, 3,000 pounds of pepper were demanded as ransom.

In the 16th century, sailors pockets were sewn together so they couldn't stuff them with peppercorns, the most valuable commodity on board.
Geographic Sources The primary growers and exporters of peppercorns are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brazil.
Traditional Uses Pepper is a universal condiment used to flavor all types of cuisines worldwide. Today Pepper is still the king of spices, and accounts for one quarter of all modern spice trade.
Taste and Aroma Black Pepper has a sharp, pungent aroma and flavor. White Pepper is hotter, less subtle and mildly fermented. Green Peppercorns are milder in flavor and has a fresh taste.
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