Black Pepper
Known as the “King of Spices”, pepper dominated and drove the spice trade for centuries, leading to the exploration of undiscovered lands. Once recognized as a form of commodity money, peppercorns were used to pay salaries and rent, and if accidentally dropped, would have been searched for with the ardent ferocity of one who had lost a pricey pearl. Today, black pepper, which is produced from the dried, unripe berry of the pepper plant, is still one of the most ubiquitous spices worldwide, found on nearly every table and in nearly every cuisine.
Due to its spicy and bitter taste, it is best to use black pepper in small quantities, freshly grinding directly onto the food at the end of the cooking process to preserve its bite and aroma.
FORMS
- whole peppercorn
- ground
BENEFITS
Black pepper has been known to:
- calm digestive issues
- promote detoxification
- improve blood circulation
- warm the body
- provide essential minerals as manganese, iron, and vitamin K
- stimulate appetite
SUBSTITUTES
Ground white pepper may be used instead of black pepper in a 1:1 ratio. Alternatively, cayenne pepper may also be used, but quartered in quantity.