Where the pepper grows - worth knowing about the pepper
"Go where the pepper grows !? Everyone knows the saying. We use it when we are angry with someone and we want to hunt him far, far away. But where exactly are we chasing those? Only very few people know where the pepper actually grows.
Everything worth knowing about one of the most commonly used seasonings is now available.
Origin and history
If we look at the genesis of pepper as a condiment, we have to make a big leap on the timescale of about 3000 years. At that time, the pepper was considered an expensive and valuable commodity and was even used as a means of payment. In ancient Rome, he was long considered a status symbol and demonstrated power and wealth. But pepper has its roots in India.
cultivation
Today, the pepper is grown in many Asian countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia but also in South America.
The peppercorns are fruits of the pepper plant? Piper nigrum ?, a tropical evergreen climber. It takes a period of three years for a young plant to bear fruit for the first time. The fruits grow on the panicles and remind optically of currants. The harvest time is twice a year.
Pepper types and their use
Peppercorns come in many different varieties and colors.
The most well-known pepper varieties are the green, black, red and white peppers. The color of the grains depends on their harvest time and their processing. Its degree of severity, in turn, depends on the respective proportion of the alkaloid piperine, which is formed only in the last stage of its ripening process.
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Green pepper
?Production: The unripe, green peppercorns are harvested and placed in a vinegar or brine. Subsequently, the grains are dried.
Severity: Mild
Excellent with: Minced meat, pepper steaks, meat fillings, cream and butter sauces and soups
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Black pepper
Production: The green peppercorns are harvested shortly before maturity. Then they are dried in the sun.
Degree of severity: sharp
Excellent with: meat, stew, goulash, marinades, sauces and soups, salads and pasta dishes
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Red pepper
?Production: The mature, red peppercorns are placed in a brine after harvesting. Red pepper is one of the rarest and most expensive pepper varieties.
Severity: Very sharp
Goes well with: game, chicken, mangoes, strawberries
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White pepper
?Production: The mature, red fruits are placed in water for about a week. Then the skin of the grains is removed and they are dried in the sun.
Level of severity: mild to medium
Goes well with: Light sauces, soups, potato dishes
storage
The storage of the pepper depends on the respective processing. Undyed peppercorns in airtight packaging last up to three years, whereas ground pepper quickly loses its taste and aroma. Green, pickled pepper should be stored in the refrigerator after opening and used up within four weeks, unopened it can be stored for up to one year.
This was our small, worthwhile trip into the world of pepper. I hope the information is helpful to one or the other, e.g. then, next time you want to grab the black peppercorns habitually in the supermarket, but then try again with a new variety. But maybe even when the son or daughter asks next time: "Daddy, Mamaaa, where does the pepper come from?
