Pepper – A Spice That is as Precious as Gold

Popularly referred to as the “king of spices”, pepper has a long history of being used as a seasoning, a preservative and even currency.

By far the most frequently used spice in every kitchen; pepper provides a unique depth of flavour to nearly any savoury dish, and also many sweet dishes as well. Black, white, and green peppercorns all come from the same vine. Growing in clusters (like grapes), pepper is harvested in various stages of growth. Green peppercorns are young when they are picked and dehydrated, which gives them a mild flavour. The black peppercorns are left on the vine to fully mature and develop a much stronger and pungent flavour profile. White peppercorns are actually black peppercorns, which have been soaked to remove the outer black coloured casing. This gives the white peppercorns a more intense flavour, with a slightly fermented taste that is a result of the soaking process. Pepper begins to lose flavour as soon as it’s ground, so for getting the best possible flavour,  it is recommended that the pepper is ground in the quantities one needs.