Pepper

At The Rosemary House, we sell a variety of specialty peppercorns.  We sell the peppercorn berries whole and suggest you grind them at home using a pepper mill, spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.  Fresh grinding them will ensure freshness and pungency. The typical black peppercorn that you purchase is a blend of Malabar and Lampong peppercorns and yields a robust, hearty and aromatic blend.  Malabar is grown in India's state of Malabar.   However my favorite is Tellicherry peppercorns a pungent bold berry that is allowed to remain on the vine longer and produce a more complex flavor.  It always amazing how one plant (Piper nigrum) can produce so many flavors.  The Muntok White peppercorns has its own unique and mellow flavor.  It is frequently recommended for adding to cream sauces, since it won't leave little black specs in the sauce!   The green peppercorn berries are picked young making it milder than black peppercorns.    

The top right is a bowl of Szechuan pepper, a main ingredient in Chinese Five-spice powders.  This pepper is not from the Piper nigrum but is harvested from a variety of the prickly ash tree, Zanthoxylum piperitum. It is a peppery flavor with citrus notes.  Commonly used in many dishes such as Kung Pao chicken, we like it in rice pilaf or scrambled eggs.