On Food and Cooking

musty and horse-stable notes, probably from
the prolonged fermentation of the fruit layer
(skatole, cresol).
Pepper is used in the form of whole
“corns” in preparations that allow time to
extract their flavor: such things as pickles and
preserves, and some stocks and sauces.
Grinding the peppercorns allows their flavor
to be extracted faster for last-minute
adjustments. Grinding also frees their
aromatics to evaporate, so the most and
freshest flavor comes from whole peppercorns
ground directly into the preparation. Even
whole peppercorns lose much of their aroma
after a month in a grinder. Some cooks briefly
toast them in a hot pan to enrich their aroma.
Pepper is best stored tightly sealed in the
cold and dark. If exposed to light during
storage, it loses its pungency because the light
energy rearranges piperine to form a nearly
tasteless molecule (isochavicine).