Brazilian pink pepper

The berries of the Brazilian pepper tree are known as 'pink pepper'. The taste is subtly sweet rather than sharp, although the berries contain carvacrol, which is also found in herbs such as savory, thyme, and oregano. Our pepper is a fragile, freeze-dried berry.

We may call this small pink fruit 'pink pepper', but it is not a pepper, at most a pseudopepper, and botanically speaking, the berry is not a berry but a seed capsule. The plant/tree is not part of the pepper family (Piperaceae), but of the sumac family, a family that may sound less familiar, but with very well-known plant species such as the cashew (nut), the pistachio (nut), sumac (spice), mango, and Greek mastic.

The Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi) originates from South America, just like the Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle). Both are used as spices.

The dried pink peppers However, ours come mainly from the islands of Madagascar, Réunion, and Mauritius, off the east coast of Africa. They were 'discovered' there by French cuisine and planted on the islands at the beginning of the nineteenth century. For several years now, the pink berry has also been produced in Brazil (again).

Pink berries are 'air-dried', giving them the same wrinkled appearance as black pepper, or they are freeze-dried. Freeze-drying preserves the smooth shape of the berry, and better retains the subtle flavor profile and color.

Scent and taste

Pink peppercorns can hardly be called spicy compared to black pepper. The spiciness comes from the phenol carvacrol, an antioxidant that is found not only in pink peppercorns but also in much larger quantities in herbs such as savory, thyme, and oregano. You can very clearly taste juniper in the berries (also somewhat sweet), which is why the berries are sometimes called red juniper berries.

Brazilian pink pepper contains the monoterpenes

• α- and β-pinene, woody pine scent, as in cumin, pine cone, juniper, and hemp
• β-phellandrene, pleasant mint and citrus flavor, also found in allspice,
• paracimene, woody and fresh citrusy as in cumin, in thyme, savory and marjoram, and
• cadinene, a fresh woody, vegetal aroma, as in cubeb pepper

Usage

Pink peppercorns combine excellently with cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, savory, oregano, tonka beans, vanilla, allspice, black pepper, and chili pepper. Pink berries are used whole, as in Magret de canard or pâté, but are usually crushed or coarsely ground. Use pink peppercorns with veal, poultry, delicate fish dishes such as mousses, and shellfish such as scallops, shrimp, cheese, or in a herb butter or pea cream. Delicious when pickled in vinegar.

Also try pink pepper with fruits: peach, orange, melon, mango or papaya. And chocolate, in French tartines (mango) and bread, and even with desserts, such as by drizzling some over pêches melba to sprinkle or incorporate into peach marmalade.

As a botanical

Just an example: the Phizz Star: 50ml Star of Bombay, 15ml Bottlegreen Plump raspberry cordial, 15ml pink grapefruit juice and 30ml prosecco, finished with pink peppercorns finely crushed between the fingers. Also try Peruvian pink pepper - temporarily unavailable!

Features:

• 100% freeze-dried berries from the Schinus terebinthifolia
• origin: Mauritius

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams) and stand-up pouch (various weight classes)
• glarger quantities than shown on request

Would you like to know how this pink pepper tastes?

You can also try a test tube. The tube contains enough pink pepper to grasp the essence of the flavor.

Save

• batch number **KG600415
• best before September 2028 (09-2028)

Allergens

Strictly speaking, pink peppercorns are not allergenic. With plants from the same botanical family, it sometimes occurs cross-reactivity to, an allergic reaction similar to that of the allergenic family member. Examples include apricot kernels (almonds) and pink peppercorns (cashews). If you are sensitive to cashews – or pistachios – avoid pink peppercorns!

General advice

• Pink peppercorns can be eaten raw and used in hot dishes.
• Use the berries whole—also as a garnish—or grind them. Preferably do not do this with a pepper grinder with a metal grinding mechanism. The skins are so thin and greasy that the grinding mechanism clogs quickly. can hit.
• Also consider using only the skins, rather than the whole berries, in a dish.