Peppercorns were once a highly sought commodity in antiquity. Like other spices, they were grown in Asia and made their way to Europe over land and sea. So prized were peppercorns that part of Visigoth King Alaric’s ransom included 3,000 pounds of the spice after seizing Rome.
These days, peppercorn is a spice taken for granted. Despite pepper’s ubiquity, most of us cook with it without considering its quality and taste. Like gravity and the sun, we expect pepper to always be there the same way it always has been.
