Agreed. Last year I recommissioned a small hand cranked coffee grinder with a ceramic burr to a pepper grinder.

A revelation! The grinder isn’t particularly fancy and not that great for coffee beans, but it sure beats any pepper grinder I’ve ever used. That probably says more about the low quality of most pepper grinders. Anyway, if you haven’t tried it, highly recommend it. Even a cheap coffee grinder allows you to tamper with and adjust the burr so you can get your ideal pepper texture.

I do have long pepper, but I just don’t like it as much as the black and white kinds of pepper I use. Thought it would be good on strawberries.

And it wasn't?

David

Thanks, everyone. No Indian markets where I live, but I think I'll be in San Francisco in a couple weeks. If anyone has any recommendations between San Jose and SF, please share!

Turned out I preferred “classic” black peppercorns to the long kind. Considerably.
I also realised that whilst I don’t mind black pepper with strawberries, if I am going to zhuzh up strawberries I generally prefer them with a good balsamic vinegar.

The foods I really have enjoyed where black pepper is the dominant flavour have been this tofu recipe (which uses an obscene amount and yet is somehow “balanced”)
https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/black-pepper-tofu-a#

Also got unexpectedly seduced into enjoying it on popcorn by Tokyo Disney Sea.

Went to a farmer’s market in Tokyo and was introduced to Vietnamese black pepper by a vendor with relationships with smallholder farmers there. Wish I’d bought more at the time. When I can, I usually buy the Sarawak kind. Am currently going through a batch of Wayanad peppercorns; good but haven’t been wowed by them.

I’ll still seek out an Indian market, but I happened to see this at Whole Foods yesterday.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ec11e0f15.jpeg

I believe there is an Indian market in Seaside, in case that's helpful.

It is. I had no idea. I'll stop in the next time I'm over there.

You can find jars of black peppercorns everywhere.....any grocery and probably even Dollar Tree. I thought you were looking for something specialized.

for how much?

David

Btw, I usually buy things like this on Etsy or ebay.

Yes and no. I initially planned to buy them through Penzey's because I had a gift card, but decided to follow the Indian market advice and seek out a store while in the Bay Area this coming weekend. I rarely am in grocery stores, even before COVID, found myself in WF yesterday, and decided to buy them, which was easier than trying to plot out the highest rated Indian markets closest to BART or Caltrain stations.
Funny, I was going to state the price, but wasn't 100% sure I correctly remembered $8.99 and was too lazy to go fetch the receipt from my wallet. Just pulled the receipt out, yep, $8.99.

so interesting because the Sf shop has them sans grindrrr

whacky!

Glad you got them. I hope you’re happy with them.

I'm staggered that buying peppercorns in the US is as difficult as it seems. Here they are a staple of pretty well every supermarket, along with sea salt, milk, butter and most other kitchen essentials.

They are a staple everywhere here too. It is not the least bit difficult unless you are wanting something exotic.

I don't think it has to be exotic. Peppercorns should be easy. But any deviation from that (eg, maybe fresher) and often things start to become difficult.

As an example, I am always on the lookout for a type of shrimp paste that is common in South East Asia (Hae ko or petis udang). But I cannot find it in any asian supermarkets. I could order from Amazon, but then I am at the shell's mercy. I can find 10 other types of shrimp paste, but not this one. I've written to several manufacturers as I find it hard to believe that there isn't a market for it here, but no response from them.