What Are Peppercorns?

Sometimes, the world of culinary creations leaves us with more questions than answers. There are plenty of new things to learn about food – and plenty of foods you wouldn’t recognize at first glance! If you’ve ever glanced at the menu for AquaPazza, you’ll likely have noticed a prime example of this in pink peppercorn. It’s one of the things we garnish our delicious salmon dish with! Peppercorns aren’t a food that the average person knows much about, so what are they? How do we use them? We answer both of these questions for you below!

Where Peppercorns Come From

Did you know that peppercorns actually come from a plant – or, more technically, a vine? Peppercorns grow as a part of the drupe fruit, which is a type of fruit with a “stone” in the middle that contains a single seed. Peppercorns are the seeds that the stonefruit envelops, so they are harvested from these fruits on the coast of India and other areas with tropical climates. Unsurprisingly, these peppercorns are among the most traded spices in human history. You can find them in any restaurant – or even in your own kitchen!

Types Of Peppercorns

An easy thing to notice about our salmon dish is the word that comes before peppercorn in its description – the color pink! As you may have guessed by now, peppercorns come in a variety of colors, each with its own distinctive flavor that gives it many uses. Pink peppercorns are great to eat with seafood. Black peppercorns are ground into the black pepper you see in pepper shakers. White peppercorns are commonly found in Thai and Portuguese cuisines. Other colors of peppercorns include red and green.

What Are Peppercorns Used For?

The most common use for peppercorns is as a spice, which can season anything from meat to potatoes to vegetables and most other foods you can think of. This isn’t the only thing that they’re used for, however. Multiple types of peppercorns can be combined together to make peppercorn sauce! Peppercorn sauce is drizzled primarily over fancy cuts of meat like a filet mignon to add more flavor to it. Peppercorns were also used as traditional medicine in earlier times, but today their usefulness is tied primarily to culinary arts.

Perfectly Seasoned Seafood at AquaPazza

At AquaPazza, we don’t take our seasonings lightly! We want to make sure that all of our seafood and meat options are as delicious as possible, which is why we take extra care to ensure that every bite is packed with stunning flavors. With fish that is fresher than any other area in the North End, there are plenty of reasons to pick AquaPazza for your next dining experience. Don’t just take our word for it; make a reservation with us today to experience the flavors for yourself!