Black Pepper, the spiciest, is berries that are picked unripe. Black Pepper has a sharp, pungent aroma and flavor. White Pepper is hotter, less subtle and mildly fermented. Green Peppercorn is milder in flavor and has a fresh taste.

Peppercorns come in different colors and tastes. Since they are the same shape and size as true peppercorns, they are marketed under the name “pink peppercorn.” They are used as a spice and have a lighter pepper-like taste.

The commonly found trio of black, white and green peppercorns all come from the same flowering vine, they are just harvested at various stages of growth, while other types of peppercorns come from other plants altogether.

A pink peppercorn (French: baie rose, “pink berry”) is a dried berry of the shrub Schinus molle, commonly known as the Peruvian peppertree. The fruit and leaves of Peruvian pepper are potentially poisonous to poultry, pigs and possibly calves.

If you’re making a recipe that calls for pink peppercorns and you can’t seem to find any, don’t stress. While the flavor of pink peppercorn is certainly unique, you can substitute it with green peppercorns, a mix of peppercorns, or if you’ve got nothing else, then your freshly ground black peppercorns will do.

Taste and Aroma: Mild, fruity and sweet. Uses: Great twist to anything you would normally put black pepper on. Substitutes:Green Peppercorns, Grains of Paradise, Black Peppercorns, Black Pepper Butcher Grind, Kampot Pepper, White Peppercorns or Four Peppercorn Blend.

These are the least spicy of all the peppers because the hull contains most of the oil, which is the source of the spicy flavor. Red peppercorns are left on the vine until they are fully ripe. These peppercorns also retain their color while they are going through the drying process. They are the sweetest peppercorns.

When you grind peppercorns in your own pepper mill, you expose the sealed un-oxidized center releasing all of the rich flavor and a variety of benefits. This is why freshly cracked pepper tastes so much better than pepper that has already been ground.

Can you eat fresh peppercorns? Because they are milder than black peppercorns you can eat them whole. They have a fresher flavour than black – fresh as in freshly picked herbs or freshly ground pepper.

Black pepper is considered safe for human consumption in the typical amounts used in food and cooking (2). Supplements containing 5–20 mg of piperine per dose also appear to be safe, but research in this area is limited ( 13 , 15).

Twist the grinder filled with whole black pepper to add an earthy, pungent kick to whatever’s on your plate. Black pepper enhances the flavor of meat, gives a spicy bite to soups and stews and brings layers of additional flavor to vegetables. But peppercorns aren’t just for grinding at the table or stove.