Balinese Long Pepper. Bought some yesterday, used it tonight, became instantly addicted.

[Redstone]

Discuss.

(I'd heard of it, but never seen it in a store until yesterday.)

Redstone

[xchrom]

1. how'd you use it?

[Redstone]

5. On a Caesar salad, and also on Cheesy Taters (Potatoes au Gratin) to go with the

Easter ham.

It really IS a bit different from standard black pepper. There's some kind of subtle sweet note, if you don't mind me sounding like a Food Snot, and the taste / sensation / tingle lingers MUCH longer than that from piper nigrum.

A bit more effort than black pepper; you have to smash it up in a mortar before you can run it through a peppermill. But well worth the work.

Redstone

[petronius]

2. That's nothing like 'long pig,' is it?

Other than that, I've got nothin' for the discussin' - off to Google...

[Redstone]

9. Him nopela langpik; yu trusim mipela, me tok-tok yu trut.

Him noso hot pepa, him makem belly gladpela.

Redstone

[petronius]

11. New Guinea pidgin?

I'm always looking to make my belly glad; I'll keep an eye out for these...

[Redstone]

13. Yes, indeed; good call. And yes, buy some if you can find it. It's one of those "minor" food finds

that end up being really worthwhile, even if you're not a "foodie."

Like getting your hands on some good fresh Spanish paprika, and finding out that it actually TASTES like something, unlike the stale two-year-old crap that the Hungarians wouldn't eat themselves, so they sold it to us Americans to sprinkle on our deviled eggs.

Redstone

[otherlander]

15. Oh, shit...

You ate the cactus, didn't you? I told you not to eat the cactus, man, I fuckin' TOLD you not to! But, noooooo, you had to go and....

It'll wear off in about three hours.

[Redstone]

16. After I go out and roll around on the ground for a while...

yes, I've read Castaneda, too.

Funny post, though. Thanks.

Redstone

[mainegreen]

3. I actually ran across that for the first time last week and almost bought some!

How was the flavor? How did you use it?

[Redstone]

6. Tell me you saw it at Ocean State Job Lot! That's where I bought it; three bucks for

a 4.4-ounce box which, I understand, goes for almost eight bucks at Whole Oats and those other chichi places.

Buy it. Use it wherever you'd use normal black pepper...you just have to grind it with a mortar & pestle before you put it through the peppermill, because it looks like little pinecones, rather then being a round berry like most pepper.

And the people who produce this specific brand are are real liberals, sustainable-agriculture types who actually live in Indonesia and supervise the production, and all that. In other words, people WELL worth supporting by buying their products.

Redstone

[mainegreen]

7. I'll have to pick some up then.

I saw it at a little spice store owned by my downstairs neighbor. We try to buy from people we know.
I'm low on peppercorns anyways.

PS
Sent you an email.

[Redstone]

8. I got your email. I'll be checking that directory tomorrow. Don't tell my clients, but The Big M

has kept me from working all that much for the last week.

However, things have cleared up a bit this weekend (I can walk in a straight line now, even if only for 100 yards!), so I'll be back at it starting tomorrow morning.

Thank you for your help.

Redstone

[trof]

4. Balinese Long Pepper:

Long peppers, also known as "cubebs," grow wild in Bali. Foragers spot the spiky cones among the jungle canopy; they look like little corn cobs. The flavor is clearly in the same family as what currently comes out of the pepper mill permanently ensconced on my dining room table. But there are some seriously interesting high notes and a sweet, round fruitiness that's really lovely. To use, simply crush it with a mortar and pestle (a hammer and clean towel can work fine if your kitchen's not quite fully equipped). Thai cooks use it a lot in soups and stir fries. Ben Ripple, our Balinese salt and long pepper connection, told me that one of his favorite dishes to make is salt-roasted baby potatoes spiced with long pepper, chopped red chiles and lemongrass.

[Redstone]

10. Yes, they DO look like little black corncobs, though I thought of pinecones first. PS: In all

my readings, I had forgotten that they were also called cubebs. Thanks for posting that.

Redstone

[Beausoir]

12. Ah-hah! Zingerman's. I gotta get me some...from Zings.

And that spud recipe sounds like heaven.

[Redstone]

14. Yes. Mrs R's Cheesy Taters are sublime. Use Yukon Gold potatoes, the younger, the better,

and for the cheese, use half Monterey Jack and half sharp Vermont cheddar.

And do NOT forget to mix in chopped garlic liberally, and to put a layer of thinly-sliced yellow onions between each and every layer of taters and cheese.

The onions are essential. Enjoy! And don't forget to reserve at least an hour for nap time on the couch after you're done.

Redstone