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--- Received from GA.KWIST1 791 2377 23-08-04 10.1= 3 -> london.food@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx -> simon@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx Simon said - "You can actually then waft around the smoke from this if you've got people coming over for dinner - it'll make things smell really amazing" In magic and rituals, black pepper is mixed with sea salt and used to sprinkle about the home / ritual space to dispel negative vibrations. Fact File: Black Pepper - piper nigerum A perennial woody climber / vine up to 5 metres high, with large oval- heart shaped leaves, and spikes of small white flowers. The small berrie= s grow in clusters which ripen from green to red and black : green peppercorns are picked unripe and pickled; black peppercorns are the dried, fully grown, unripe fruit; red peppercorns are picked ripe and dried; and the white peppercorns are the ripe berries which have been soaked in water before drying (this removes the outer pericarp). Cultivated since the Ancient times for medicinal and culinary purposes, pepper was also a vital commodity in world trade for thousands of years. During his siege on the city of Rome in AD408, Atilla the Hun was repute= d to have demanded 1,360kg of pepper as ransom! In Greece black pepper is used for treating intermittent fevers and to fortify the stomach, whilst in Chinese medicine the white pepper is used for cases of malaria, cholera, dysentery, diarrhoea, stomach ache and digestive problems. According to Maury in Guide to Aromatherapy "...The mendicant monks of India who cover daily considerable distance on foot, swallow 7-9 grains of pepper a day. This gives them remarkable endurance..." Pepper is an antibacterial, and has a stimulant, antiseptic effect on th= e digestive tract and circulatory system. Used to enhance circulation, boost the immune system, eliminate toxins and improve digestion, it is also effective at reducing fever, treating chills, catarrh, nausea, colds, infections and viruses. The oil is useful in easing rheumatic and arthritic pains, muscle aches and pains, sprains, general stiffness, and toothache. ************************************************************************= * From: simon@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx To: london.food@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 09:36:31 +0100 Subject: Re: [london.food] Red peppercorns On Sat, Aug 21, 2004 at 10:43:04AM +0100, Roger Burton West said: > I've been given some red peppercorns. I am told that these are terribl= y > hard to get hold of. What should I do with them? I presume (and you know what they say about 'presume' it makes a PRES out of U and ME. No wait, that's not right) that Red ppercorns are like Szechuan peppers corns. In that case I like to make a aslat pepper mix by toasting equal quanities of white and red pepper corns in a saute pan for about 3 minutes, making sure they don't burn (although if they pop like corn then that's fine). You can actually then waft around the smoke from this if you've got people coming over for dinner - it'll make things smell really amazing (that plus Chinese Rice Wine (or sherry) are my top tips for 'authentic' tasting Chinese food) Anyway, ocne you've got that you crush it with the same amount rock salt (so you have equal quanities of red peppercorns, white pepper corns and salt) in a pestel and mortar. You can then toss prawns or squid in cornflour and some of the mixture and either deep fry or fry in a hot wok. Mmmm. Another idea is to rub duck peices in it, leave it over night and then deep fry or rub duck breatss in it and then sear them in a pan - skin side down first. Then there's szechuan baked tofu or pork or .... oh god, I'm hungry now. Norwich Union, an Aviva company, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This E-mail transmission may contain confidential or legally privileged information that is intended for the addressee only. Any view or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Norwich Union. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or reliance upon the contents of this E-mail is strictly prohibited.
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