Black and white peppercorns are both the fruit of the pepper plant, however they’re processed in another way. Black peppercorns are picked when nearly ripe and sun-dried, turning the outer layer black. To supply white peppercorns, this outer layer is eliminated earlier than or after drying, leaving solely the interior seed.
White pepper tastes hotter than black however is much less complicated, with fewer taste notes. Excessive-quality peppercorns of both sort are extra fragrant and have extra floral, spice, and fruit notes than generic ones. Candy recommends the pungent Muntok white and Tellicherry black peppercorns bought by Pendery’s. Freshness is vital to good white pepper, which turns stale and bitter sooner than black.
Whereas black pepper is extra widespread in American kitchens, utilizing white pepper in light-colored dishes for aesthetic causes (akin to white sauces and mashed potatoes) is a practice that originated in French cookery. Nevertheless, white pepper can also be utilized in some cuisines for its particular taste. It’s common in Chinese language cooking, and petradish additionally makes use of it in fragrant Vietnamese soups and pork dishes, in addition to in lots of Swedish preparations.