The color of peppercorn does actually matter

Szechuan peppercorns are listed in my 1000 Foods to Eat before You Die book. Being a fan of spicy Szechuan food, I figured that I must have eaten Szechuan peppercorns.  That being said, I had never purchased them or cooked with them until recently.  I followed a fabulous Food and Wine Shrimp recipe that paired them with jalapeno peppers.  The recipe looked amazing and I couldn’t wait to eat it.  This did, however, lend to the huge understanding that I cannot stand szechuan peppercorns.

I hadn’t gotten around to posting about how I cannot stand them but when Ivan, Elena and I were on our way to Laos for Christmas, we had noodles in the Kunming, China airport. What were the noodles covered in?  I didn’t know until I ate them and my whole tongue went numb. Then I knew, the HATED Szechuan pink peppercorns.

I try not to post the negative but this is one case that I think Mimi might be nuts.  To begin with, Szechuan peppercorns are NOT peppercorns at all but are but are the dried outer husks of the prickly ash shrub.  Also they make your mouth “tingle” but really they make it numb and this particular feeling was not pleasant (at least not for me). I finally gave up and refused to eat the dish.  So if you do decide to try this great Food and Wine recipe omit the horrible szechuan peppercorns.

This did cause me to ponder the other colors of the peppercorn rainbow.  Here is the 10 second scoop:

1. 1.  Black = dried, cooked green peppercorns

1. 1. Green = under ripe black corns that are often brined

1. 1. White = skinned black peppercorns (usually used so you don’t see black flakes in light colored foods)

1. 1. Red = these are left to be fully ripened and are hard to find because when they are dried they turn black or have their skins taken off and turn white

1. Pink = Once again, not a peppercorn at all but from a South American scrub.

Need more than the 10 second version?  The Tasting Table provides a great overview.