The dried berry of the pepper plant (Piper nigrum) is the spice sold as
black peppercorn. While many herbs and spices tend to make seasonal
appearances, black pepper is found beside the stove and at the dinner table
year-round, usually right next to the salt.
Black pepper is an essential
seasoning for all sorts of foods, from roasted meats, soups and stews and
salad dressings to egg, rice and cheese dishes.
Note: The term "mesh" refers to the coarseness of ground pepper, which can range
from a fine shake to large granules. (The term literally refers to the size of
the holes in the mesh screen through which the spice passes while it is ground.)
The higher the number, the finer the pepper. Similarly, a mesh of 12 indicates a
grind between coarse and cracked.
