Vital - Whole Black Pepper
In Roman times, peppercorns were used as currency. Today, pepper is the most traded spice in the world, the king of spices. Black pepper is the unripe fruit of a climbing vine native to India. The unripe fruits are briefly cooked and dried. As they dry, the berry denatures and blackens, giving us the whole black peppercorns we are familiar with. Black pepper is commonly used in pickled vegetables and marinades where they are given time to extract all their flavor. For immediate flavor release, peppercorns can be crushed. It is essential in cuisines around the world for its citrusy, woody, and floral notes. The heat in black pepper is due to the chemical piperine, not to be confused with capsaicin. The same berry produces white and green peppercorns, while pink peppercorns come from a South American tree. Black pepper is distinct from other peppercorns and ground peppercorns, offering the most complex and pungent aromas.