Pepper - the go-to spicy condiment
Learning about pepper
Far more than 20 types of pepper are known today, although not all of them are "true" pepper, with the botanical name "Piper nigrum". There are several related types, such as the Assam long pepper, cubeb pepper and the voatsiperifery pepper from Madagascar. And there are also some "false" types of pepper that actually have nothing to do with the plant – these include Sichuan pepper, Sansho blossom pepper, Tasmanian mountain pepper and pink pepper berries that appear in most mixes. But now back to "real" pepper and its range of varieties:
Black - Aromatically hot
For black pepper, the still green, unripe berries of the pepper bush are harvested by hand. Subsequently, sun-drying ensures that the grains turn brown-black and hard after a good week. Its flavour is aromatically hot and very spicy.
White - Polarisingly hot
For some, it doesn't even need to exist, while others consider it indispensable - especially in light-coloured sauces and with light-coloured meat dishes. The fact is: white pepper divides (taste) minds. The red, fully ripe berry fruits serve as its base. Filled into large bags and soaked in water for about a week, the skin can be easily removed from the flesh. In the course of this fermentation process, the aromatic substance skatol is produced in the white pepper, which is responsible for the cheesy smell of the pepper and is perceived as unpleasant by many people. The actual seeds are then exposed to sunlight again and dried. By removing the husk, some of the spiciness is also lost, making white pepper much milder than black.
Green - spicy hot
As with the black pepper, the unripe pepper berries are the decisive factor for the green pepper. Immediately after harvesting, the berries are subjected to a quick-drying process. This prevents the onset of fermentation and preserves the colour. Green pepper is usually pickled in vinegar, alcohol or brine. However, it is also found in freeze-dried form.
The different qualities of pepper
Pepper is not only available in a wide variety of colours and shapes, but also in different qualities. These various classes are defined by aroma, pungency, size, colour and weight of the individual grain. Really good pepper has its price, which is also indicative of the entire spice market. There is a wide range of all qualities on the world market. High-quality peppercorns have a uniform colour and size. They are also so hard that they cannot be crushed with a fingernail. Another important quality criterion is the weight of the grains, measured in grams per litre (g/l). This criterion plays a significant role, especially for black pepper.
"Species" of pepper
... 20 varieties divided into true, related & false
Origin
... tropical countries
... today mainly grown in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Brazil
Quality
... uniform size and colour
... the hardness of the individual grains is considered a quality characteristic
WIBERG pepper
Our quality promise
The risk assessment with regard to all conceivable parameters that can influence the high quality of the pepper is necessary in order to establish a quality control system. However, this does not only apply to pepper but equally to all spices. Often, suppliers already have a certification - but we always personally check the conditions on-site. Not only the storage, which should be dry and without temperature fluctuations but also the transport contributes to the consistently high quality: WIBERG pepper is transported exclusively in ventilated containers to avoid condensation and the possible formation of mould.
Pleasure from the Aroma-Tresor®
But how does the peppery spice from the end of the world get into the WIBERG Aroma-Tresor®? Picked from the plants in the country of origin (Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, India, Indonesia) and processed into black or white pepper, it is dried in storage-stable conditions, coarsely pre-cleaned and packed in steam-degerminated bags. These are shipped to Europe in ventilated containers, where they are finally received at the factory in Freilassing. There, comprehensive incoming goods analyses and further purification are carried out. If the raw material stands up to the tests, the pepper is processed further - from ground, crushed or whole.
Check out our premium quality pepper assortment
This might also interest you:
WIBERG Inspiration
