Ingredients and Directions

Most cooks today don't appreciate the plentiful and

inexpensive supply of a spice that was once so valuable

and rare itwas 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 isused 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.

Source: freecookingrecipes.net