The dried fruit of this plant has been in every kitchen I’ve encountered. Sometimes it has been whole. Often it is ground – either fine or coarse. Black outnumbers white by a wide margin.
The fruit of this vine has not ripened. I don’t see even a hint of red. Perhaps I should have returned a few days or a week later.
The next time you pick up the pepper shaker (or grinder) and add a little “pep” to your meal, consider the vine. Unless you have a greenhouse, I doubt you’ll be able to grow your own in the United States. This tropical plant likes it warm. The commercial growers are located in Sumatra and Java — plus other places with similar climate.
In the sweet historical romance, Stitching a Dream, Polly purchases peppercorns from the grocer. She, and others, are in the habit of “bruising” them with a pestle or other heavy kitchen tool before putting them into soups and stews. Have you cooked with whole peppercorns?
Here’s a link to the book: https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh
