Dried berries of the Peruvian and Brazilian pepper trees, relatives of the cashew rather than of true pepper. Pink peppercorns are mild, sweet and piney, and prettiest crushed over food at the end.
What it is¶
Pink peppercorns are the dried berries of two related South American trees in the genus Schinus: the Brazilian pepper tree (S. terebinthifolius), which supplies most of the commercial crop, and the Peruvian pepper tree (S. molle). The trees belong to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, alongside mango and pistachio, and are unrelated to true pepper, Piper nigrum.
The berries grow in dense clusters and ripen from green to a rosy red. Dried, each one is a brittle, papery pink shell around a small, hard, dark seed. They are also sold as baies roses (pink berries) in French, and much of the best-regarded crop comes from Réunion in the Indian Ocean, where it is sold as baies roses de Bourbon.
Origins and history¶
In their native range, Schinus berries have long been used in Andean cooking and drinks, and the Peruvian pepper tree was planted widely in colonial Latin America as a shade tree. Both species have since been planted as ornamentals around the world. The Brazilian pepper tree in particular has escaped and become a serious invasive species in Florida, Hawaii and parts of Australia and South Africa.
As a European and North American seasoning, pink pepper is recent. It became fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s with nouvelle cuisine, when French chefs scattered it over fish and pale sauces. In 1982 the US Food and Drug Administration briefly blocked imports of the berries from France over concerns about adverse reactions; imports resumed after the dispute was resolved, and pink peppercorns have been a fixture of mixed-peppercorn grinders ever since.
Flavour and aroma¶
The first impression is sweetness, followed by something between juniper, pine resin and red fruit, and only a faint, brief warmth. There is no piperine, so the heat of black pepper is absent. The aroma sits mainly in the papery shell and fades if the berries are ground long before use. Brined pink peppercorns are softer, juicier and a little sharper than dried.
In the kitchen¶
Pink peppercorns are a finishing spice. Heat dulls their fragrance and they can turn bitter, so add them at or near the end.
- Crush, do not grind: rub them between your fingers or crush lightly with the flat of a knife. The papery shells tend to clog pepper mills, which is why mixed-peppercorn grinders often jam.
- Fish and seafood: scatter over salmon or sea bass carpaccio, scallops, or a beurre blanc.
- Duck, pork and game: added to a pan sauce or pressed on to a terrine.
- Sweet things: pink pepper and chocolate is a classic; also strawberries, meringues, poached pears and shortbread. About ½ tsp crushed berries per 250 g of biscuit dough is plenty.
- Drinks and pickles: gin and tonic, pickled onions, and quick-pickled cucumbers.
💡 A little goes a long way
Start with ½–1 tsp crushed berries per dish for four. More tends to make food taste of resin.
Buying and storing¶
Buy them whole and fairly fresh; look for bright pink, unbroken berries rather than faded, dusty ones. Keep in an airtight jar away from light, which bleaches the colour, and use within a year. Brined berries keep for a few weeks in the fridge once opened. See storing spices.
Substitutes¶
- Juniper: similar resinous sweetness; crush and use a little less.
- Black pepper with a pinch of sumac or a little lemon zest approximates the fruitiness and bite, though not the colour.
- Allspice in a pinch, for warm sweetness in desserts.
Pairs well with¶
Fish, duck, pork, goat's cheese, citrus, strawberries, raspberries, chocolate, vanilla and gin; also juniper, fennel seed, dill, tarragon and black pepper.
Health and safety¶
Because pink peppercorns come from the cashew family, people with allergies to cashews, pistachios or mango may react to them, and should avoid them or check with a doctor first. The sap and leaves of Schinus trees contain irritants related to those of poison ivy (another relative) and can cause skin reactions in sensitive people. In large quantities the berries can cause digestive upset. Normal culinary amounts are otherwise considered safe. See spice allergies.