Techniques

Peppercorns release very little flavour until the hard outer husk is broken. The actual strength of flavour depends on the way the corn has been ground or crushed. For example, cracked pepper releases pungency and flavour slowly because the fragments are relatively large. There is a slow build of heat after the first mouthful, and you taste it towards the back of the mouth after you have chewed the food and are on the point of swallowing. At the other end of the scale, finely ground pepper disperses more evenly through a dish, so its spicy heat makes itself felt throughout your whole mouth as soon as you start to chew.