Over the the last decade, I've come to enjoy a variety of ground pepper. Mostly black peppercorn varieties, but some others get mixed in. White, green, pink - from all over the world. I'll update and share some recommendations for my favorites, but I want to start with talking about something my wife brought back from a spice market on vacation last week.

It's long pepper (piper longum).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_pepper

It's somehow like pepper, but not in the way most of us would be used to. It's floral and sweet while still having a bite to it. It doesn't grind at all in any of the grinders I own, I had to dust it in a marble mortar and pestle. Sprinkled on a warm dish, it fills the nostrils immediately in a way many of the stronger black peppers I've had do not, and it does it from a few feet away at that. You absolutely know it's there, but at the same time, it doesn't overpower, and somehow seems less potent than a lot of the stronger black peppers I've tried.

This is truly an old world spice, called piper longum in the time when that language was still spoken and at some point, piper nigrum (black pepper) was discovered and overtook it in popularity. But I feel it still has a place. If you really like adding pepper to your foods and like trying different types, this is one you may likely have missed and is absolutely worth trying out at least once.

Well, I have a few different kinds. All peppercorns. White, black, rainbow. I also have some interesting kinds from around the world.
We have a local health food store called Mount Hope. They have a damn amazing spice collection, and in that are multiple varieties of pepper,(and salt).
I have a good buzz and I won’t be taking pics and uploading tonight, but I’ll share my pepper collection tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
I won’t be taking pics and uploading tonight, but I’ll share my pepper collection tomorrow.

I look forward to it and I will do the same! I tend to use an Indian Malabar black pepper as my daily go-to, but have secret squirrel reserve stuff that I save for the special dishes. My wife also brought back a tiny package of some pink peppercorns that smell amazing. I haven't tried them yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
I have a good buzz

Just keep that crap to yourself. All you had to say was that you'll post pics tomorrow, and that would suffice. I don't want to see any such remarks from you again in this forum.

I have both the red and black Kampot pepper in my kitchen.Really enjoy their flavors

I use the Indian Malabar for most things. I did not like the long pepper when I tried it. I also like grains of paradise, but they are expensive. I get everything from the Spice House.

I add pepper to almost everything.

Recently, I was running low on peppercorns at home, and happened by the local Penzey’s spices store. Had never been in one before, so I headed in. Eventually came to the pepper section. Very impressed.

Came home with some Special Extra Bold peppercorns to try.

I figure my pepper mill will need to be refilled in a week or so, and in they’ll go.

Adding peppercorns to stock is a ritual in itself. A dozen, maybe 15, in the pot. Never more. It certainly does not take much.

I have a stupid simple recipe I made (and just made it this past week) that calls for peppercorns:

PORK 'N' SAUERKRAUT

1-2 lb. Sauerkraut, drained
1 lb. Country Pork Ribs
Chicken broth to cover
12+ Juniper berries
12+ Black (I use Tellicherry) peppercorns

Cover sauerkraut with broth and bring to a simmer. Add pork, juniper berries and peppercorns. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Serve.

I like having mashed potatoes on the side.

I had meant to add some longum to my order from Spice House last week but now realize I forgot.

Folks who use nothing but preground black pepper are really missing out on some flavor. I now use white pepper in my country gravy (spicier and no black specks) and love putting Sxzechuan peppercorns in my hot chili oil.

I second the Kampot peppers. They are the first peppercorns I could eat whole and actually like the flavor. I get them on Amazon, and usually go for the mixed bag. Amazon has longum in a powder, and since I don't own a mortar and pestle I'll try it on your suggestion.

quote:

Originally posted by C-Dubs:
I add pepper to almost everything.

Recently, I was running low on peppercorns at home, and happened by the local Penzey’s spices store. Had never been in one before, so I headed in. Eventually came to the pepper section. Very impressed.

Came home with some Special Extra Bold peppercorns to try.

I figure my pepper mill will need to be refilled in a week or so, and in they’ll go.

Penzey’s owner goes on crazy liberal rants every now and then so I won’t use them. The Spice House is the same family but they have said they don’t let politics into their business regardless of what dad does so I stick with them. Just as good.

I’m not so adventurous as you – I stick with black pepper. I like tellicherry peppercorns from Malabar, India. Not as zippy as some peppercorns from SE Asia, e.g., Vietnam, but I like its flavor better.

I have a Unicorn Magnum pepper mill. It has a large capacity (I need that), and produces a LOT of ground pepper with little effort. I found its handle a bit slick, but I fixed that by wrapping a layer of friction tape around it.

I get my pepper from these folks: https://www.sirspice.com

I started buying from them in 2010 when they had a booth set up at a local festival. Local husband and wife business. They buy their stuff directly from the people growing the peppercorns. My favorite purchase from them, that I hoard, is a bag of Ecuadorean Talamanca black pepper. They bought up the last of it from their source in 2011 because the estate that the plants had been growing on for over a hundred years got sold and the new owner had them all ripped out. The most delicious pepper I’ve ever had. Occasionally, I’ll empty out a grinder and throw a half dozen of these in there and I’m careful not to spill or waste a flake.

I figure at some point, I’ll have to find some more Talamanca from Ecuador, but like anything that grows in soil, each crop is going to be a little bit different, and at some point, I’ll simply run out of this amazing flavor. That, and like coffee beans, they only stay fresh for so long no matter how carefully you store them. It’s a “use it or lose it” kinda thing.

I am a true pepper lover. I use a large amount of it in a years time. Back when i was using pre-ground pepper, I would order 3-5 lbs. of it at a time from the grinder. For the last many years, I have just been grinding my own fresh when I need it......much better!! Currently I am using a medley of a number of different kinds of peppercorn mixed together. It is working out well for my likes.

I love pepper. It goes on with great abundance on just about everything except dessert. Very course fresh grind is my preference, and I also like the smoked varieties.

If you’ve never tried Aleppo pepper, I highly recommend it.

Rub down a corn cob with butter, sprinkle with Aleppo and grill. DAMN.

It’s also great on fish such as sautéed tilapia.

And here I thought using Tellicherry peppercorns and pink Himalayan sea salt, both in grinders, was the cat's meow.

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Originally posted by bald1:
And here I thought using Tellicherry peppercorns and pink Himalayan sea salt, both in grinders, was the cat's meow.

Tellicherry peppercorns – yes.
Salt – Morton’s (when it rains it pours) for me. NaCl is NaCl.

I use standard black pepper, the kind everyone (almost) uses from the local grocery. But I don't like the pepper shakers we had. Little tiny holes that restrict the amount you can get out. I don't have the time or energy to turn a crank on a mill. I have a friend who just loosens the top and pours. Works when you're at a restaurant.

A better approach is to just "repurpse" a muffineer to pepper. I know you don't know what a muffineer is. Its a cinnamon shakers, used back in the victorian times to dispense cinnamon. Works well for an ample shot of pepper, too.