In a French bistro, black peppercorns give bouquet and bite to poivre sauce. Without them, it would not be French! Native to the Malabar Coast of India, pepper is derived from the Sanskrit word “pippali”. Also called black gold, black pepper was a valuable commodity in ancient era and so became a quest for European nations to discover possible routes to reach it. They are sold as whole, cracked or ground in varying mesh sizes. There are many varieties of black and white peppers, including Telli cherry, Sarawak, Vietnamese, Muntok, Chinese and Brazilian. Black pepper has a biting taste with a hint of lemony clove-like notes and a wonderful aromatic sensation.