peppercorns

The Spice House
Website: http://www.thespicehouse.com
Black peppercorns reviewed: India Tellicherry, Indonesian Lampong, Ecuador
Cost: The Spice House provided samples for this review.

All three of The Spice House black peppercorn varieties are top quality, Grade A peppercorns. The peppercorns are nicely shaped, none are broken, and there’s no dust or plant debris.

Indian Tellicherry black peppercorns ($2.99 /4oz)

India Tellicherry

The Indian Tellicherry are very large, brown-to-black peppercorns.  The aroma of a ground peppercorn is boldly fruity and floral. They have the most pungent, fruity peppercorn taste among the three samples, but are the least hot and spicy. The heat is lingering and warm, but not biting.  These are the perfect everyday peppercorn.

Ecuador black peppercorns ($5.29/4oz)

Ecuador organic

This is an interesting peppercorn with an unusual flavor profile. The medium-large peppercorns fall somewhere between Tellicherry and Lampong in size. They are a unique greyish-brown color. Each peppercorn has a nib where it was attached to the spike, something I’ve never seen on other types. The aroma is sharp, spicy, and somewhat vegetal.  They have a ton of fantastic peppery heat, with a planty, tangy, slightly bitter flavor. The taste has an almost fertilizer-like overtone that is unique to this peppercorn terroir; the organic growing methods and location of the plantation close to the equator may account for the interesting flavor characteristics. I really love the heat of this peppercorn, but the flavor is not my favorite. Try these peppercorns for a unique flavor that tastes very different than other varieties.

Indonesian Lampong black peppercorns ($2.79/4oz)

Indonesian Lampong

Indonesian Lampong peppercorns are small, and dark brown-to-black in color. The aroma is sharper, hotter, and less fruity than a typical Indian Tellicherry peppercorn. Lampong peppercorns are picked while very immature, which gives them extra heat. They also have distinct sassafras overtones, similar to Madagascar peppercorns. These are the first Lampong peppercorns I’ve tried, and they’ve replaced Tellicherry as my standard kitchen peppercorns. This is a must-try peppercorn.

Penzey’s Peppercorns (Black)

Black peppercorns are the most used spice in the Western world. I know it’s popular in the vanillareview.com “test kitchen” — we use several pounds a year! Some vanilla plantations also grow peppercorns: Venui Vanilla (Vanuatu), Silver Cloud Estates (India), and Villa Vanilla/Rainforestspices.com (Costa Rica).

If you’ve never tried a high quality black peppercorn, you’re in for a treat. Good peppercorns vary in intensity and flavor, from fruity to hot and spicy (my favorite). This past winter I visited a Penzey’s Spice store and bought three varieties of black peppercorns from India: Sarawak, Tellicherry, and Special Extra Bold.

Sarawak ($4.45/4 oz)

A less-spicy peppercorn. The flavor of this peppercorn, fresh ground, is like the dusty flavor of store bought ground black pepper — a very strange experience. My least favorite, and the last bag finished.

Tellicherry ($3.85/4 oz)

This is a very nice black peppercorn that’s similar to the bulk Indonesian peppercorns from my local Chinese market. Spicy and bold, but nothing exceptional. …second bag finished.

Special Extra Bold ($4.79/4 oz)

Not only are these peppercorns larger than the others, they pack an amazing punch. A bright pepper flavor is accompanied by a distinctly hot peppery spiciness. Dislodging a chunk from your tooth after dinner is an experience unto itself. The “test kitchen” favorite, and my personal favorite. Two ate a quarter-pound in under two weeks.

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