INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

"Peppercorns are graded by size and provenance.  Large berries are
considered premium, and those from the Tellicherry and Malabar districts in
India, which are considered the most pungent and complex, command high
prices.
"Whole peppercorns keep almost indefinitely, but ground or cracked pepper
(peppercorns that have been cracked, not ground) begins to lose aroma and
pungency almost immediately after processing. The difference is quite
noticeable, too, between freshly ground and commercially ground or cracked
pepper.
"...good pepper flavor merits the investment in a quality pepper mill... we
keep a light-colored wooden mill for white pepper and a dark one for black
pepper. Mills with high-quality, adjustable grinding mechanisms can last a
lifetime.  With a mill, pepper can be ground into dishes at the stove or
onto salads at the table. A heavy ceramic mortar and pestle is also useful
for grinding pepper as well as other spices. Ceramic is far better than
wood, which retains flavors and aromas, or metal, which can produce
off-flavors and discoloration. Quantities of spices too large for the
mortar can be ground in an electric spice grinder."
"Besides stimulating the appetite and aiding digestion, pepper is a good
flavor addition to most dishes. Black pepper is used with meat, fish, or
poultry, in stocks, marinades, pickling, poaching, soups, sauces, stews,
even in spice cakes and cookies. It is essential to the popular spice blend
used for blackening meat and fish, and neither pepperpot soup nor steak au
poivre could exist without it. We use whole peppercorns in our pickling
spice mixture, in making stocks and marinades, and for poaching.
"White pepper is often used in place of black where dark specks are
undesirable or for a little less pungency. It is used in sauces, soups,
mashed potatoes, omelets and other egg dishes, vichyssoise, and with fish
and cauliflower.  Green pepper is used most often in sauces, dressings, and
soups; it seems to go well in vinaigrettes for green and potato salads.
Pink peppercorns are used in sauces and dressings and for garnish.
"Remarkably, the flavor of fruit is heightened by a little pepper. The
French and Italians grind pepper over fresh strawberries or raspberries,
sometimes adding a splash of vinegar. When we want to gild the
deliciousness of fresh pears, we mix a little blue cheese with cream,
spread it on pear slices and garnish with a generous grinding of white or
black pepper. Some people like a dash of pepper on cantaloupe or
watermelon."
"One of the nation's leading spice houses sells a 'pepper melange' which is
a mixture of equal parts black, white, green, and pink peppercorns. A
pepper mixture from France...obtained recently also included one part of
allspice berries.
"In France and England, we have seen recipes for 'mignonette pepper' -
equal parts black and white peppercorns, ground coarsely..."
From Susan Belsinger and Carolyn Dille's "Peppercorns Around the World"
article in "The Herb Companion." Dec. 1992/Jan. 1993, Vol. 5, No. 2. Pp.
45-46.  Posted by Cathy Harned.
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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