Freshly ground pepper

[Darienne]

I am having this love affair with freshly ground pepper ever since I got my battery-operated pepper mill.

A few years ago I would never had thought of putting freshly ground pepper in many of the places I now use it liberally: chocolate ganache, popcorn, potato chips, and ice cream (Orange-Szechwan Pepper thanks to DL). Others have added in recent posts in another thread: strawberries, watermelon and cantaloupe. These I have yet to try.

Where else do folks use pepper that you might not expect it? Cake? Biscuits? Cookies? Or in/on a dish in a way that you might not expect it to be used?

[Lilith]

Mashed potatoes! Also quite good on cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, etc. Try combining the peppercorns with brown and yellow mustard seeds.

[andiesenji]

Cookies for sure! I have at least three recipes for black-pepper cookies I have made in the past, when I was doing a lot more baking than now.

I know one was a pressed cookie because I had to grind the pepper extra fine so it would flow easily through the press dies.

I also made these cookies Cardamom/almond/black pepper/chocolate pinwheels back when my Hungarian housekeeper was still with me. She mentioned a similar cookie made by her grandmother and I looked for a similar recipe and found this one.

The cookies were scrumptious.

I have yet to try this recipe, I saw it shortly before Christmas when all my holiday baking was finished. I saved the link to try them. Luna Cafe cookies

I also used to make a chewy molasses cookie with black pepper, ginger, pumpkin pie spices and bourbon or rye whiskey. I don't know if I ever typed it into the computer but will look for it. It took a whole teasponful of black pepper.

[Darienne]

Cardamom Almond and Black Pepper Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies. What else could you put into a cookie that I would love. I adore cardamom. Chocolate of course. Almonds. These I must make.

Cornmeal, Black Pepper & Rosemary Butter Cookies. Good Lord. Sounds incredible!

And I must try pepper on melons. And then other fruit too. Any special pepper used here?

[andiesenji]

Cardamom Almond and Black Pepper Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies. What else could you put into a cookie that I would love. I adore cardamom. Chocolate of course. Almonds. These I must make.

Cornmeal, Black Pepper & Rosemary Butter Cookies. Good Lord. Sounds incredible!

And I must try pepper on melons. And then other fruit too. Any special pepper used here?

Well, they say confession is good for the soul and I must confess that I sort of go overboard with pepper, the same as I do with salts.

Not everyone can taste the differences but I can and I like certain peppers for certain applications.

However, you can get one pepper that you like and stick to that. Some have more complex flavors than others and they must be freshly ground.

I rely greatly on Pepper-Passion as he explains the differences in the various peppercorns and what to expect as to flavor.

I recently ordered some Mountain Pepper from Australia and it is quite different than other black peppers.

[Peter the eater]

Black pepper really is the Master Spice. Like coffee, grind just before use. I like it best on a soft-poached egg.

[Shel_B]

I followed the link that andiesenji posted to the Cornmeal, Black Pepper & Rosemary Butter Cookies recipe and saw the jar of smoked black pepper in the photo of the ingredients. Wow! A new pepper to try. I ordered some just a few minutes ago. And while at the site where I ordered the smoked pepper, I discovered a small jar of long peppers, so I prdered that, too. I'm always on the lookout for interesting pepper, so it was quite exciting to find the smoked pepper. I've used long pepper before, and ordered this small jar to compare with the long pepper I'd been using. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Piper_longum.jpg

Thanks for posting your photo, andiesenji.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Shel_B (log)

[andiesenji]

I like long pepper also. I have found that it is especially complementary to dishes that contain coconut and ginger - I add it to my badjak sambal, along with the small capsicums because it adds an additional level of complexity that I notice if I omit it.

It is also very good sprinkled on papaya and mango and pineapple. I make a pineapple sorbet on which I sprinkle a little long pepper just before serving.

I ordered the Australian Mountain Pepper from Salt Traders

It is one of the "Bush foods" and I think actually is wild-harvested in Tasmania.

[Shel_B]

I like long pepper also. I have found that it is especially complementary to dishes that contain coconut and ginger - I add it to my badjak sambal, along with the small capsicums because it adds an additional level of complexity that I notice if I omit it.

It is also very good sprinkled on papaya and mango and pineapple. I make a pineapple sorbet on which I sprinkle a little long pepper just before serving.

I ordered the Australian Mountain Pepper from Salt Traders

It is one of the "Bush foods" and I think actually is wild-harvested in Tasmania.

Interesting ideas for using the pepper. Tks!

I found Salt Traders last night but haven't ordered yet. Want to see their full line first. Looks like a nice site in any case.

[andiesenji]

A note about long pepper. Naturally, being the shape that it is, it cannot go into a regular pepper grinder. I don't like to grind it in one of the spice grinders because I don't want pepper dust.

I tried a grater - similar to a nutmeg grater but grated more of my fingers than the pepper.

I bought one of these- a Toenail Clipper for small dogs/cats and the long pepper, being a similar size, fits nicely into the opening and the guillotine blade shears off pieces that are the exact size I want, i.e. about the same size as a peppercorn and can then be placed in my Magnum grinder which produces exactly the size grind I want.

Previously I used a mortar and pestle to break them up but was never quite satisfied. I got the idea from a friend who uses the same clipper to chop long hard calcium/potassium/magnesium tablets in half so they are easier to swallow.

Bingo! I thought. That will work on the long pepper.

Edited March 10, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Shel_B]

A note about long pepper. Naturally, being the shape that it is, it cannot go into a regular pepper grinder. I don't like to grind it in one of the spice grinders because I don't want pepper dust.

I tried a grater - similar to a nutmeg grater but grated more of my fingers than the pepper.

I bought one of these- a Toenail Clipper for small dogs/cats and the long pepper, being a similar size, fits nicely into the opening and the guillotine blade shears off pieces that are the exact size I want, i.e. about the same size as a peppercorn and can then be placed in my Magnum grinder which produces exactly the size grind I want.

Previously I used a mortar and pestle to break them up but was never quite satisfied. I got the idea from a friend who uses the same clipper to chop long hard calcium/potassium/magnesium tablets in half so they are easier to swallow.

Bingo! I thought. That will work on the long pepper.

Being a cat owner, I'm quite familiar with the clipper and have a few in the house. I'm sure my cat won't mind if one of his clippers gets "lost>" Good tip. I generally just break 'em up with something heavy and grind the (coarsely) in one of those cheap grinders that pepper comes in at the supermarket or Trader Joe's.

[dbmorgan]

I am the owner of Pepper-Passionand I offer my thanks to the gentleman who recommended my site in a previous post. We have been helping foodies enjoy the delights of pepper for almost 8 years now and we are still having fun with it. Since this thread was started we have received some enquiries about Long Pepper and other related peppers. What we have found is that the USA is a black pepper market. The green, rose and especially white pepper are slow movers; which is why we have not expanded our range into the other products of the "piper" genus. Maybe now this is the time to do so. I do love my pepper and there are many varieties worthy of experimentation.

BTW, we have a quarterly newsletter we send out for registered users at our site. In the newsletter we advertise a coupon code "MALABAR" that will save you 10% on anything you order. We value our repeat customers and this is our way of thanking them. Some other cooking forums include some of our fans as members, and they widely publicize this coupon. I have not seen this posted on this forum yet so there it is ready for you to use if you like.

If your tastes run to Black Pepper then I would recommend our Black Pepper Sampler Pack. It features seven varieties of peppercorns at a reduced package price, with the option of adding two additional varieties. An if your tastes run to bold and hot, go straight to our Talamanca Del Caribe organic black pepper from Ecuador. It can be a life changing experience for the true pepper lover.

Bruce

www.pepper-passion.com

[Kouign Aman]

Lashings of pepper on peas. White pepper is nicer but black pepper is good.

I second pepper on popcorn, or potato chips.

Celery, peanut butter, pepper.

[andiesenji]

I am the owner of Pepper-Passionand I offer my thanks to the gentleman who recommended my site in a previous post.

If your tastes run to Black Pepper then I would recommend our Black Pepper Sampler Pack. It features seven varieties of peppercorns at a reduced package price, with the option of adding two additional varieties. An if your tastes run to bold and hot, go straight to our Talamanca Del Caribe organic black pepper from Ecuador. It can be a life changing experience for the true pepper lover.

Bruce

www.pepper-passion.com

Bruce, I am not a gentleman, (actually a female, age 71) but I have recommended Pepper-Passion in other threads besides this one.

I have ordered your sampler packs for myself and for my son-in-law who is also a pepper fan (fanatic), the peppercorn omni pack, small bags. My daughter likes different varieties of peppers also, but not to the extent that her husband does.

There are times when I have no snack crackers or chips in the house and I find that heating saltine crackers in the oven for a short time, brushing the tops with melted butter and then sprinkling with black pepper, or my favorite, a medley of peppercorns, freshly ground, makes a great snack, with or without something else topping it - cheese, for instance.

I make cheeses and one of the most appreciated by my friends is a fresh, goat cheese, rolled in coarse pepper.

[Scallop]

Potato chips and pepper is delicious but I'd say pepper is good on pretty much anything.

[petite tête de chou]

I love freshly ground pepper on white rice or noodles with butter and soy sauce.

And I usually grind a generous amount of pepper over mounds of sour cream or yogurt. Something about pepper with white foods....

[Pierogi]

I love freshly ground pepper on white rice or noodles with butter and soy sauce.

And I usually grind a generous amount of pepper over mounds of sour cream or yogurt. Something about pepper with white foods....

Ohhhhhhhh, yes. A slight shower of fresh ground over a glass of buttermilk. My mother taught me that one when I was but a mere babe.....a hint of salt too.

[Shel_B]

Where else do folks use pepper that you might not expect it? Cake? Biscuits? Cookies? Or in/on a dish in a way that you might not expect it to be used?

Ice cream. Vanilla ice cream. Some years ago I was in a Napa restaurant and was served a dish of vanilla ice cream in which a small amount of black papper was incorporated. Yummy! Now I'll sometimes grind a little pepper on good vanilla ace cream. Not quite as good as having the pepper incorporated into home made ice cream, but very good nonetheless.

[Darienne]

Ice cream. Vanilla ice cream.

Good one, Shel_B

[Shel_B]

Bruce, I am not a gentleman, (actually a female, age 71) but I have recommended Pepper-Passion in other threads besides this one.

[...]

I make cheeses and one of the most appreciated by my friends is a fresh, goat cheese, rolled in coarse pepper.

This thread got me to order a few items from Pepper Passion, and I was quite pleased with the service and prompt delivery. One of the peppers that I ordered was the Tellicherry, and it was wonderful: not as much heat as some previous Tellicherry pepper that I bought, but lots of great flavor. Highly recommended!

Pepper on cheese is another wonderful combination. I like to take a favorite cheese, melt it, and grind some black pepper over it. I love the gooey, pepper texture and flavor of peppered, melted cheese. With the increasing number of pepper varieties available, and the almost endless varieties of cheese, matching pepper and cheese can be a fun experiment.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Shel_B (log)

[kayb]

My very favorite summer lunch is sliced tomatos with a scoop of ricotta cheese, a little sea salt, and a healthy grind of mixed peppercorns. Also love freshly ground pepper on my second favorite summer lunch, a caprese salad.

And on watermelon, with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

[Shel_B]

I am the owner of Pepper-Passion [...] if your tastes run to bold and hot, go straight to our Talamanca Del Caribe organic black pepper from Ecuador. It can be a life changing experience for the true pepper lover.

Bruce

www.pepper-passion.com

I bought some of the Talamanca recently and absolutely LOVE it. I took some into a place where I often eat lunch and shared it with some people, and they all thought it was great as well. Highly recommended!

[Shel_B]

Quick question: How long can black and white peppercorns be stored before losing potency and flavor? Thanks!

[heidih]

I like a small puddle of grassy olive oil adjacent to one of a wildflower honey - then grind pepper generously over both. Tear off bits of fresh baked crusty bread and drag through both pools. With a soft boiled or poached egg it is dinner, and without it is dessert.

[Darienne]

I like a small puddle of grassy olive oil adjacent to one of a wildflower honey - then grind pepper generously over both. Tear off bits of fresh baked crusty bread and drag through both pools. With a soft boiled or poached egg it is dinner, and without it is dessert.

The puddles, pepper and bread part I like.

I always liked pepper (and salt) on my sour cream, cottage cheese and pumpernickel. We are talking some decades...many...ago when you could get good pumpernickel easily. Oh, I lived in Montreal then. I was an early pepper lover.