White Pepper

Let's talk about white pepper.  White pepper is black pepper that is harvested at a riper stage, with the hulls removed.  The hull is black.  The hulls contain some of the heat, so when you remove them, away goes some of the heat (white pepper is milder - duh!).  When the particular heat component of the hull is removed, a milder,  somewhat citrusy flavor is left to describe white pepper.  I never buy white peppercorns - I just buy the smallest quantity I can in ground form, and get rid of it when the fragrance has left the container.  I just don't use enough of it to warrant a special grinder.  It is a lovely ingredient to pale foods where you don't want the flecks of black - creamy mashed potatoes perhaps, or other mild starches - like parsnip puree, or, if you use it as I do sometimes, in DESSERT!!!  If you've ever tasted one of my homemade desserts, and thought, "hmmm - what IS that flavor?!?" - it could be white pepper!  - Lula