Black Pepper

Pepper is also the world’s most commonly used spice. It is cultivated primarily in Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Brazil. The fruit of the Piper Nigrum vine, pepper is the fruit processed in three varieties. Black pepper is obtained from drying unripe berries with the skin on resulting in a powerfully pungent product. White Pepper is the result of removing the pungent outer skin and then drying the berries. Unripe berries are processed retaining their colour to get Green Pepper and are piquant in flavour. Piperine is the compound that gives pepper its characteristic heat. Pepper, also known as Black Gold was traded in the ancient world and even used as currency to pay rent, dowry and trading goods. There’s not a dish in the modern world that does not call for a pinch of this delicious spice.