Second only to salt, black pepper is the world’s most widely used spice. It’s a major flavor component in the entire culinary world. Despite black peppercorns being a staple in the cupboard, there are actually many varieties of black peppercorns - two of the most popular variants are Tellicherry and Malabar peppercorns.
Are They Any Different?
All peppercorns belong the Piper nigrum family, meaning that they are all the exact same thing. True black peppercorns are entirely different from spices that share the ‘peppercorn’ name, such as pink or Szechuan peppercorns.
Most of the world’s supply comes from Vietnam, but the origin of the black peppercorn lies in India, specifically in the Malabar Coast. When it comes to Black Pepper, they are categorized according to where they’re from.
Tellicherry peppercorns are considered as the most prized variety of black pepper due to its complex flavor profile, which includes woodsy and citrus notes. Tellicherry can be used in any dish that calls for black pepper -- but one downside is that it can be a bit more expensive than your run-of-the-mill black pepper. For everyday meals, black peppercorns or ground black pepper is the best to use.