Peppercorns (Pink) Cooking Notes:

Cuisine: French, South American, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Thai

Food Pairings: Cheese, olives, thai curries, noodles, salads

Flavour / Tastes Like: Chilli, Berry, Sweet

Serving size: 0.5 grams (approx 10 berries)

Directions for use: Infuse whole peppercorns into curries, risottos, paella. Or use as a powdered spice: crush with a knife, or in a pestle and mortar. Sprinkle towards the end of a dish for a wonderful fruity, pepper flavour.

Allergens: This plant comes from the Cashew Family - they may cause allergic reactions to those with a tree nut allergy.

Peppercorns (Pink) Technical Notes:

Origin: Brazil

Quality: Grade A, Pure Grade

Also known as: Schinus terebinthifolius, BRAZIL PEPPER , POIVRE ROSE, BAIES ROSES, POIVRIER D’AMÉRIQUE, BRASILIANISCHER PFEFFER, ROSÉ-PFEFFER, PEMBEBIBER, BAIES ROSES DE BOURBON, 粉紅胡椒

Appearance: Small, light red berries, approximately 20 berries per gram.

Industry Knowledge:
This peppercorn is in fact not a true peppercorn - it doesn't come from the Piper genus. It gets it's name because it looks extremely similar to most peppercorns, and in fact comes from the Cashew family. Pink Peppers are much more delicate and lighter than other peppercorns. They also taste like it too - there's a hint of spice which is quickly accompanied by sweet and fruity flavours. In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States banned the import of Brazilian peppercorns from France into the US, asserting that people who eat the berries risk an array of acute symptoms. In response, the Government of France maintained that the berries are safe to eat if grown in prescribed conditions, which many of them are! The United States later lifted the ban, and is now one of the larger markets in the world for these exotic berries.

Unlike most spices, Pink peppercorns have only been discovered and grown in last century: exporting began in the late 1800's / 1900's. Their popularity spread quickly due to the exotic taste, and soon became a favourite in France and parts of South America. Now, small quantites of Pink Peppercorns are also cultivated in America, although their traditional age-old location is Peru / Brazil, which is where Regency's premium quality comes from.

*INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY.