Care For Some Pepper on That?
- Claire Sanders
- Oct 3, 2017
- 3 min read
Sugar in your coffee, honey in your tea, black pepper in your water?
Filling up a water bottle before heading out of the house for the afternoon is a fairly standard practice. That is until I saw my friend grind some black pepper into his before grabbing the keys and heading out the door. This sparked my curiosity and while I wasn't the biggest fan after trying some myself, I did begin to think of what else I could grind this ever-so-common spice into.
Either my eyes became peeled to the presence of this spice among my favorite drinks, or the universe started grating this into everyday life. Moments after ordering my chai latte at Sawada, a popular coffee shop in the West Loop of Chicago, I watched as the barista picked up a pepper grinder himself. Leaving the frothy steamed milk foam now freckled with cinnamon and freshly-ground black pepper. I picked up my oh-so-full mug, requiring both hands, and carefully made my way past the ping pong table and down the stairs. Once I reached an empty picnic table, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment for my latte was still intact and filled to the brim. Being the millennial that I am, I added a photo of my mug to my Instagram story. You know... because everyone just needed me to grace their timeline with my spiced chai.
At this point I'm just ready to try this bad boy, and trust me it did not disappoint. This particular chai latte was on the spicy side (think Big Red gum meets snickerdoodle cookie) allowing the pepper to enhance the heat behind the drink. My experience at Sawada engrained a food memory into my brain, only enhancing my curiosity on all black pepper topped beverages.
Prior to this little peppercorn kick of mine, or fascination, what have you... I must have previously drank these tiny berries without batting an eye. Then I recalled an Imbibe article that I had read at one time, and to my luck was able to locate it once again. In April of 2010 Lucy Burmingham wrote an article of the use of peppercorns in spirits, saying, "The ubiquitous black peppercorn is the strongest in flavor, but white, green and pink peppercorns offer subtle variations in spice and heat. Green peppercorns, picked immature, have a fresher flavor and less pungency. White peppercorns, which have had their outer layer rubbed off, pack some heat, but aren’t quite as aromatic as black. As for the beguiling pink peppercorns, they aren’t related to black peppercorns at all. Their flavor is similar, but more acidic and slightly sweet." Burmingham thoroughly described the differences in peppercorns though her Imbibe article as she followed up with specific examples of how bartenders at that time were adding this ingredient to their cocktails. Come to think of it, this wasn't a new idea at all. Bartenders have been infusing spirits, rimming glasses, and grating peppercorns into libations for years.
While my eyes certainly remain peeled to this ingredient, awaiting the next time it appears in my beverage, I for one will be keeping it far from my water. Instead, this addition will mostly likely appear in my chai lattes or potentially a drink special run at work.
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