bleck pepper

Description

(Piper nigrum), perennial climbing vine of the family Piperaceae indigenous to the Malabar Coast of India, or the hotly pungent spice made from its berries. One of the earliest spices known, pepper is probably the most widely used spice in the world today. India has always reigned supreme in the production and export of this most exotic and sought-after spice. In early historic times pepper was widely cultivated in the tropics of Southeast Asia, where it became highly regarded as a condiment. Indian pepper had a profound influence on the European economy of the Middle Ages. Many western countries owed their prosperity to this spice which fetched them a very high price. Easily the finest in quality anywhere, Indian pepper is grown in the monsoon forests along the Malabar coast in South India. Here, a combination of natural advantages and organic techniques produces bigger, better-shaped, more aromatic and flavourful berries. Their odour is penetrating and aromatic; the taste is hot, biting, and very pungent. The berries are picked when they begin to turn red. The collected berries are immersed in boiling water for about *0 minutes, which causes them to turn dark brown or black in an hour. Then they are spread out to dry in the sun for three or four days. The whole peppercorns, when ground, yield black pepper.