It was then that the black spice began to firmly establish itself in most of the world s cuisines. It seems that pepper has conquered more of the world than Alexander himself. Pepper has always been the most sought after spice. When the pepper berries are picked fresh they are green, drying them at moderate temperatures turns the berry black. When the fresh peppercorns are dried quickly at higher temperature or pickled in brine, they remain green.
White pepper is simply black pepper with the outer layer removed.
What is particularly interesting about pepper is its ability to be incorporated into every course of a meal, even dessert. Once ground, pepper loses its flavor and pungency rather quickly. It s much more beneficial to purchase your pepper in the whole berry form and grind or crack the pepper just before you need it. A quality pepper-mill is strongly suggested.