Pepper

[Dave Martell]

Where do you guys buy your pepper from? What types do you like? Also, got any cool grinders worth showing? I feel that I need an upgrade.

 

[so_sleepy]

I buy telicherry pepper from Penzey's
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyswholeblackpeppercorns.html

When I run low I plan to check out Pepper-Passion.com. They have several varieties I have not tried and some hand-turned pepper mills in exotic woods.
http://www.pepper-passion.com/

 

[UnConundrum]

+1 on Pepper Passion

 

[obtuse]

I usually buy my spices from The Spice House in Chicago. Lately I've been buying whole tellicherry pepper from Costco, under their Kirkland brand. I use a blade-style coffee grinder to grind my spices--fast and cheap.

 

[Dave Martell]

Wow that Pepper Passion place is crazy. Stefan should not be allowed to look at their mills.

 

[apicius9]

Too late... Great stuff. You know, I was thinking about getting a lathe one of these days... As for pepper, I usually also get the Tellicherry from Penzey's, but this looks like a great site. I was also thinking about getting some fleur de sel, looks like they have a good variety there. Fortunately, I get some really nice local salts in the supermarket. Not to lead this astray, but people mostly seem to be using black pepper. I use at least as much, if not more, white pepper - is that a European thing or am I just strange?

Stefan

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

Too late... Great stuff. You know, I was thinking about getting a lathe one of these days... As for pepper, I usually also get the Tellicherry from Penzey's, but this looks like a great site. I was also thinking about getting some fleur de sel, looks like they have a good variety there. Fortunately, I get some really nice local salts in the supermarket. Not to lead this astray, but people mostly seem to be using black pepper. I use at least as much, if not more, white pepper - is that a European thing or am I just strange?

Stefan

I use white pepper when I don't want black flecks in what I'm making, and have put a mix of white, black, green and pink peppercorns in a clear acrylic grinder for show. Other than that, I tend to use a mix of white and black peppercorns. No, I don't think you're strange.

 

[FryBoy]

Pepper-Passion.com. However, they've run out of their fabulous Talamanca del Caribe black pepper and don't currently expect to be able to get any more -- if they ever do, BUY IT! (They do have the white Talamanca, but I've never tried it).

 

[UnConundrum]

I have a bunch of the Talamanca del Caribe stocked away. They won't be getting it back in.... The farm was plowed under

 

[dbmorgan]

I am the owner of Pepper-Passion and saw a bunch of referrals coming from this forum so I thought I would check out what is going on. Being a part time professional woodworker I appreciate the virtue and the zen of seeking to obtain the perfect cutting edge, but let me say a few words about pepper.

As near as I can tell, we have the broadest selection of peppercorns available in the USA. We have eight black, three whites, two greens and rose. I know there are a few other obscure varieties out there but they are not available in the USA. It is true about the Talamanca Black no longer being available. We sold out last December and the farm no longer is planted in pepper.

The best advice I can offer a pepper lover is to try one of our sampler packs. The black peppercorn sampler pack is one of our best sellers and people love sampling the different varieties. The good news is that they are all unique and different in subtle ways just like good wines. It is a great way to compare and discover your personal favorite. Most repeat customers order the larger bags of their favorites after working their way through the samplers. We also have some "peppery" recipes to try. Best of all this is an affordable luxury.

Pepper mills is another topic altogether. My mills are handcrafted and downright expensive. Not affordable for all but a nice luxury if you like "jewelry"for your dining room table. The function is there but you are paying for art. I joke that the pepper "tastes better coming out of my mills".

Lastly, we have a permanent coupon code "MALABAR" for our repeat customers that will save you 10% off your order. Being a contrarian, I would prefer to give a better deal to my loyal repeat customers. I am also offering a $10.00 coupon to customers who register on our site and take the time to write a product rating/review for products that they have purchased from us. Hope you will give us a try. It is a fun ride.

Bruce Morgan
www.pepper-passion.com

 

[StephanFowler]

Pepper mills is another topic altogether. My mills are handcrafted and downright expensive. Not affordable for all but a nice luxury if you like "jewelry"for your dining room table. The function is there but you are paying for art. I joke that the pepper "tastes better coming out of my mills".


Bruce Morgan
www.pepper-passion.com

some of those Mills are very very tempting.


(and you MUST be a masochist to turn a Verawood mill)

 

[Jim]

Thanks for stopping by the KKF Bruce! We appreciate the coupon code as well.

 

[evanjohnson]

+1 for Penzeys Tellicherry.

 

[FryBoy]

Bruce -- how does the white Talamanca compare to the black? (And please don't tell me it can't jump as well.)

 

[oivind_dahle]

Welcome Bruce

I love people with passion for their work
Ill have your site in mind after finishing my new kitchen Damn your mills was AWESOME!!

 

[rahimlee54]

Anyone tried the pepper super pack, that thing looks fun. I'd be the only one eating it since the wife will not hardly touch pepper. Maybe I need a mill to go with each bag . Always nice to hear from owners of specialty businesses.

 

[dbmorgan]

Just to reply to a few comments:
1. I am not a masochist to turn Verawood. For me Cocobolo is the worst although most sources I find rate the other rosewoods species as being worse. I break out in hive after turning Cocobolo.
2. The Omni peppercorn pack is also popular. Maybe pepper lover are a little compulsive to buy sixteen bags comprising almost a hundred dollars.
3. White pepper has a completely different aroma and flavor than black. White smells like manure and has a hot but creamy flavor. Great for taming gamey flavors.
4. I do not advocate mixing peppercorns but adding some white Talamanca to black pepperocnrs will certainly heat up the blend if that is what you are after.

Bruce

 

[FryBoy]

Manure? Good lord man, let your wife write your ad copy from now on!

 

[dbmorgan]

I like to tell it like it is. Good white peppercorns do not have an attractive aroma. Kind of like sauerkraut. Smells awful, tastes great.

Bruce

 

[Dave Martell]

Oh man this isn't helping having you stop by Bruce, way too tempting now.

Thanks for offering the coupon code though.

 

[mr drinky]

I like long pepper. It has some bite to it but generally can substitute for black papper. They look sort of like miniature pinecones and may not fit in a lot of grinders, but you can also use a microplane and grate it like nutmeg. They are also good to throw in slow-cooked stews.

http://www.nirmalaskitchen.com/shop-global-pantry/orissa-long-pepper/

k.

 

[rahimlee54]

Question for Bruce

How fine would is the grind on your mills, adjustable? Are they solid wood of the outside variety, I ask because I know some of those are toxic if ingested.

 

[dbmorgan]

The grind on my mills is adjustable and goes all the way to coarse (almost cracked). Many European Mills do not get much past medium-coarse.

I am not sure what you mean by "solid wood of the outside variety". All of my mills are made from a single solid piece of wood. Some of the woods are tropical exotic hardwoods that contains oils that are known to be irritants to soft tissue if you get a faceful or lungful. That risk is on me the woodturner, not the mill user. Regardless, I line every mill with a CAP food-grade plastic tube. (Just for the record, I think the term "toxic" is way overused to the point of almost being useless.) I also seal the wood surface with a linseed oil/super glue mix so the so-called "toxic" substances should not contact either your hands or the contents.

Bruce

 

[rahimlee54]

That answers what I asked. I phrased it quickly as I was trying to multitask. I work in chemicals and do hazardous waste for my employer so toxic is just part of my vocabulary, it is over used though.

Thanks
Jared

 

[FryBoy]

Bruce's pepper grinders are indeed beautiful, and someday I'm going to break down and buy a set for the dining room. For the kitchen, however, you can't beat the Unicorn Magnum Plus ($45 + $4 shipping from the manufacturer -- CLICK HERE). Holds about a cup of peppercorns, grinds very quickly and evenly, and highly adjustable, as you can see in this photo showing the coarsest and finest grinds it produces:

 

[CalleNAK]

Nice. My Unicorn Magnum plus is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Heard great things and have yet to find a pepper grinder that met my standards. Hoping this is the one.

The pepper passion site looks great. I'll definitely be taking advantage of that coupon code and trying a few.

 

[FryBoy]

One thing about the Magnum, and the reason I have that photo of the grinds: some people find the adjustment mechanism difficult to use, specifically they can't figure out how to get a fine grind. One guy on the Robert Parker wine bulletin board posted that the Magnum was a POS because of that, so I sent him the photo and told him the secret, which is simple: Any large pepper chunks in the grinding mechanism can prevent you from turning the adjustment knob, so flip the grinder upside down (i.e., with the grinding mechanism pointing up), give the Magnum a few cranks to clear the chunks from the grinder, then turn the adjustment knob. You should be able to get almost powdered pepper that way.

 

[dbmorgan]

That is true for any adjustable mill.

Bruce

 

[CalleNAK]

Nice advice. Thanks.

 

[SpikeC]

People who can't use tools should not review them!