A few years ago, I was introduced to an alternative to black or white peppercorns--grains of paradise. To me, these peppercorns have a decidedly cinnamon-like flavor; others have told me they taste "flowery." From the Encyclopedia Brittanica website:
"grains of paradise, also called guinea grains, or melegueta pepper, pungent seeds of Aframomum melegueta, a reedlike plant of the family Zingiberaceae. Grains of paradise have long been used as a spice and traditionally as a medicine. The wine known as hippocras was flavoured with them and with ginger and cinnamon. The plant is native to tropical western Africa and to São Tomé and Príncipe islands in the Gulf of Guinea; it is cultivated in other tropical countries. Grains of paradise are exported from Ghana.
The seeds are contained in the acid pulp of the fruit and have a glossy, dark brown husk, with a conical, light-coloured membranous caruncle at the base and a white kernel-like structure called an aril. They contain a neutral essential oil and a viscid, brown resin."
I use grains of paradise as a replacement for black pepper in dishes that are spicy or "hot." Curries, stir-fries, and zesty soups seem to benefit from this addition. For my use, I buy the peppercorn grains whole and use a mortar and pestle to grind what I need when needed.
If you live in the Fort Collins area, a great place to buy grains of paradise is the Old Town Spice Shop on Linden Street. This is a new store that sells spices, herbs, salts, teas, and flavorings. You can sample any product before you buy, and the staff will happily grind whatever quantities you need, to order, on-site. (If you don't live nearby, you can order from the Old Spice Shop web site.)
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