Whole Black Pepper

Whole Black Pepper

Where other spices live in spice cupboards tucked away, black pepper proudly stands in shakers and grinders on the kitchen counter and dining table in nearly every single home and restaurant. It is the only spice that finds its way into nearly every single dish.

Peppercorns are the fruit of a flowering vine in the Piperaceae family. Peppercorns get their bit from a chemical called piperine that is found in the fruit and seeds of the peppercorn. Piperine can actually break down when exposed to heat, air, and light hence peppercorns (whole, crushed and powdered) should be stored properly or used quickly. Black and white peppercorns are all the same fruit but treated differently. Black peppercorns are dried unripe fruit that has been cooked.