Does a grind or two of black pepper on your food really matter? asked the editors of Cook’s Illustrated. We take freshly ground black pepper so much for granted that sometimes we hardly notice it. Yet it not only lends dishes a sharp bite and heat but also, by stimulating our salivary glands, “enhances our ability to taste food.”
Recently 19 staff members tasted eight samples of freshly ground whole black peppercorns—both by themselves and on white rice. These included two supermarket brands and six mail-order Tellicherry peppercorns. The top two were also tested on steak au poivre, and in both cases “the nuances of the peppercorns came through.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 21, 2024Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - devilish decrees, biblical blunders, and more
-
5 carefully selected cartoons about the Trump-Daniels jury selection processCartoons Artists take on a stress-free life, rare peers, and more
-
Loire Valley Lodges review: sleep, feast and revive in treetop luxuryThe Week Recommends Forest hideaway offers chance to relax and reset in Michelin key-winning comfort
