Page 64 - shore_galley_2015

64
Pepper
We can also source a variety of pepper and peppercorns. Here are a few ideas from the gourmet world of ‘proper’ pepper that prove there is still plenty to gain from a twist and crack of freshly ground peppercorns.
Black peppercorns
Black peppercorns are picked on the verge of ripening as they are beginning to turn from a rich green to yellow. They are then boiled briefly to break the skin and stimulate enzymes, before being allowed to air naturally in the sun. Black pepper is native to southern India and other tropical climes.
Grains of Paradise
It was once claimed by traders that the peppery and zingy Grains of Paradise seeds grew only in the Garden of Eden. Abundant in West Africa, as little as one of these prolific dried seeds tastes like an explosion of ginger, cardamom and coriander.
Green peppercorns
Picked long before maturity and aromatic with a fresh flavour, green peppercorns are the traditional ingredient in peppercorn sauce and are considered a staple in French and sometimes Thai cuisine.
Pink peppercorns
Actually unrelated to the most recognisable black pepper Piper Nigrum plant, pink peppercorns, which are also often vibrant red in colour, can come from native Peruvian and Brazilian fruit trees as well as from the Réunion. There is a peppery taste, but it is sweet, fruity and milder than woody black peppercorns.
Szechuan pepper
The sometimes called Sichuan pepper is grown in China and offers an unusual and pungent flavour imbued with woody tones and lemon like overnotes. Szechuan pepper can add an exotic and unusual twist to a dish if used to substitute traditional pepper varieties.
White peppercorns
These are peppercorn berries that have been allowed to fully mature then are picked and soaked over a period of several days before the outer skins are worn or rubbed away.
www.shoresolutions.fr pepper dry goods