Yo! Daddy!

If Salt is the mother of all spices, it is surely pepper that is the Mac Daddy. If you find yourself thinking that pepper is pretty mundane, thinketh again. Pepper has been around for thousands of years, and at one point was so valuable that it is said that if a peppercorn fell to the floor it would be hunted down as if it was a pearl. It has been used a currency, and was requested by
Attila the Hun as part of a ransom for Rome. According to some, the monopoly held by the pepperers of the overland trading routes was one of the reasons for searching for and eastern sea route. So, see? Not so bland after all.

Belonging to the botanical family Piperaceae, black, white and green peppercorns are the fruit of the vinous plant. Black peppercorns are the young fruit, the dried unripened berry. The white peppercorn is the same as the black, yet allowed to ripen fully. The green peppercorn is harvested before the fruit matures. Pink peppercorn is not the same as the others, coming from a French species, it has a papery pink skin and a hard inner seed.

All peppers taste better freshly ground or cracked. As with other spices and herbs, the fragrant and tasteful oils are released upon cracking and the flavor diminishes with time and light. Pepper is best added at the end of a cooking process for the most flavor, though you may add some at the beginning. A fresh grind before serving makes it more intense and piquant. (I love that word).

I could wax and wane on the flavor here, but the truth of the matter is that every provider offers different flavors. In general I can say that on the Hot Scale (with a one being neutral and a 10 be3ing volcanic) black pepper earns about a 7 for me, white pepper about a 6 and green about a 3. Your mileage may vary.

While most people assume that pepper has a role in the savory world only, I am a firm believer in it's use across the flavor spectrum, including sweets. I have made dark chocolate truffles with a faint hint of pepper. I have made cookies, with ginger and pepper. I have made biscotti with lemon and pepper. I also enjoy tea masala which has a rather strong pepper note.

Nirav-Tea-Masala

Here are some recipes I found online for pepper cookies:

Italian Chocolate Pepper Cookies
Norway's Best Pepper Cookies

Have a spice party. Invite a few friends over for cheese and crackers and wine, and go buy a few different kinds of pepper to try. Offer a small bowl with olive oil and garlic and several pepper mills, or small bowls for pinching. Pinching is always fun at parties. Have a movie night and try sprinkling pepper on your popcorn. Explore. Get Spicy!