What's the deal with peppercorns?

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@Rune,
I remember. There was a woman who sold fruit in front of the apartment in Stary Mokotów where I was staying. She had this mustache so enormous that it put her on par with Tom Selleck and Chuck Norris.

Edit:
Oh and congrats with your new gem

 

Why thank you!

Yeah, these ladies are scary... and oddly common in Warsaw (been here for a week now and already seen four). Was there a hypertrichosis epidemy I do not know about?

 

I'm saying nothing other than I'm typing with one hand while working my Ladyshave with the other!

 

Be careful not to cut yourself!

BTW, I know this thread was not supposed to be serious from the start, but look what we have done to it. This is madness!

 

We've done worse in the past babe

 

Sorry boss.

I don't mind biting down on a peppercorn when you've ordered something containing them. It's when they sneak up on you it's a problem. You're sat there with a nice, innocent looking meal but a peppercprn is lurking in there

 

I've had some bad experiences with peppercorn dishes, so I can see where Mordea is coming from. I think it comes from unskilled chefs, and not the peppercorns themselves.

 

I agree with LKD about it being the chefs or cooks that's behind such unpleasant dinning accident... but do not totally a lack of cooking skills issue (except the part where some part are too bland while others are too salty). Like here, we do have some dishes that are traditionally cooked with ungrounded peppercorns. As such, it is the dinner's lack of awareness that comes to play.

 

Hmm, perhaps I'm just a **** cook.

I recently got a bolognese recipe off the net which recommended 1/2-1 tblspn of whole peppercorns, so I just chucked a tablespoon of dried whole peppercorns in before cooking.

Am I meant to crack them?

 

Recipes are a tool, a general instruction on how to make a particular dish. Unless you're a trainee cook and prepare for an exam, or want specifically that dish, recipes are not supposed to be slavishly followed. Under normal circumstances, in the kitchen you are your own master.

In the end it depends on how spicy you want the dish to be. Crushed the pepper corns will spread the flavour; if you leave them whole you'll have your 'hotspots' (but you'll also be able to remove them before serving (for such instances there is the marvellous invention of a spice bag; a tea egg will probably work fine as well)). It depends on your personal taste whether that's ok for you or not.

For a schnitzel or a steak with pepper sauce I'd leave them whole; that's how it is supposed to be and how I'd expect it in a restaurant. For a Bolognese I'd probably crush them. But, since you'll have to eat it - your choice.

 

I personally dont put peppercorns in a spag bol

 

I barely use measurements when I'm cooking

I judge the texture, taste and completion of a recipe by taste and smell usually and when mixing dough or other baked goods I use my hands to combine ingredients more often than not so have a good idea how well it's going.

Except Chocolate Pudding to Kevs' standards, I've only managed that once so far...