Help me! What spice is it?

[vlad_50]

Good Afternoon!

I have a problem to identify a spice and I ask any help.

(click to enlarge)

My seller says that it is a long pepper.

Really the fruit looks like a long pepper on the images that I have found out in Internet. But there isn't good conformity.

Additionally, the spice has a slightly bitter (but not hot!) taste and a camphoraceous (similar a black cardamom) aroma, i.e. both flavours aren't tipical for a long pepper.

Therefore I mistrust the seller. But I cannot find any information in Internet about anything like the fruit.

Can anyone help me to identify its?

PS. I'm sorry for my English that isn't as good as one would like.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I have to agree with the seller. It sure looks like long pepper (piper longum).

 

[Hoot]

Howdy! Welcome to D.C.!
I agree. It looks like long pepper and the flavor profile fits.
Spice Hunting: Long Pepper

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I think you nailed it Hoot. I'll be interested in seeing if I can find this spice locally.

 

[Kylie1969]

I have no idea

Welcome to the forum

 

[vlad_50]

Thanx to all for the welcome and the replies!

It looks like long pepper and the flavor profile fits.
Spice Hunting: Long Pepper

I have another long peper having flavour that matches with one discribed.

Two fruits have some differences (the fruit being identified is the first):

color - only matt black vs. from dark red-brown to black,
shape - bent half-open cone vs straight (as a rule) beautiful cone
taste - small bitter without any heating vs heat (a little more than black pepper has),
aroma of whole fruit - camphoraceous vs missing in fact.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I never thought of any real peppers (piper) as having heat. I associate heat with capsicum which are of course not true peppers. (When first imported from the New World people had mistakenly thought the species were related.)

 

[vlad_50]

I never thought of any real peppers (piper) as having heat. I associate heat with capsicum which are of course not true peppers. (When first imported from the New World people had mistakenly thought the species were related.)

Sorry. As I wrote my English isn't good unfortunatly.

I understand that you write about but I have some problems to correlate my feeling of any flavor and English terms. For example I know 'earthy flavor' but I cannot translate into Russian because there isn't any analogous in the language

In the case the word 'heat' means 'pepper flavor', perhaps 'spicy', 'pungent', 'burning' or similar. And I would like to know the correct term with pleasure.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Please do some research on the plant families piper and capsicum. It is important for amateur and professional chefs, and enthusiasts, to understand the difference between these species.

And be aware that there is no secure definition of "hotness" other than the Scoville scale.

As far as the correct word, unfortunately there are too many and too many nuances.

 

[taxlady]

Personally, I find that freshly ground black pepper does have some heat. It is very noticeable in a steak au poivre. "Poivre" is black or white pepper. Piment" is French for capsicum.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Oh I really like steak au poivre! I do it often. So easy, so fast, so good!

 

[vlad_50]

Greg Who Cooks,
there is the problem that any flavor may be differently definded.
For example, about chilli:

1. I see in capsicum:
The name "pepper" came into use because of their similar flavour to the condiment black pepper, Piper nigrum...

2. In Russian the chili flavor is discribed by the word that can be translated as "sharp" or "incisive" but no "hot".

I have found out my pepper
Its name is Piper capense L.f. (wild pepper, african long pepper) and
it is absent in piper (genus)

Thanx to all for the discussion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan_pepper

 

[Kylie1969]

Personally, I find that freshly ground black pepper does have some heat.

I concur!

 

[GotGarlic]

Personally, I find that freshly ground black pepper does have some heat. It is very noticeable in a steak au poivre. "Poivre" is black or white pepper. Piment" is French for capsicum.

If you don't believe it, chew a teaspoon of peppercorns for a few minutes!

 

[Kylie1969]

If you don't believe it, chew a teaspoon of peppercorns for a few minutes!