Jeannie Frazier Male • United States of America

Peppercorns are a fiery pungent spice that has a unique history. While their source is unclear, most evidence points to the South American ethnic group of the Aztecs, who used it to flavor food and treat wounds. Over the course of the last couple hundred years, the use of peppercorns as a medicinal treatment has become well established. They are especially useful in treating such things as stomach aches, flatulence, digestive issues, headaches, as well as nervous conditions. There are even studies out there showing that they can lower the likelihood of a person developing Alzheimer's disease.


Black pepper, also known as Mexican pepper, is a pungent flowering vine in the mint family, Piperaceae, commonly cultivated for its seeds, called a peppercorns, that is typically dried and used primarily as a seasoning and spice. The fruit itself is drupes that, when fully ripe and fully blackened, is around 5mm in diameter, gray-black, and contains an egg-shaped stone that encloses a single black pepper seed. It is one of the world's hottest spices.


Pecorino or Perricone peppercorns are the seeds from a rare variety of grape, Cajan, native to the South American Andes Mountains. The rareness of the grapes that produce these seeds, coupled with the fact that the fruits themselves are quite small, mean that their production is limited to a very limited area. In fact, Perricone peppercorns are among the hardest and most fibrous of all peppercorns to grow, making them prized additions to culinary arts such as salsas and dips. Their distinctive flavour makes them a favourite spice on just about any cuisine from Italian sausage and Italian vegetable dishes to Indian curries.