Nope, have never had squirel either, though my cousin used to hunt them and kept trying to get me to try them. I've about worked myself up into trying rabbit since Penn Dutch carries them in their freezer case, though I intermittently watch the specials at an Italian restaurant we like as the chef has rabbit specials from time to time. It's just something about the cute tiny furry things. I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but there are a few things that will never knowingly pass my lips and I don't care how good people say they are.
Szechwan Peppers & Tellicherry Peppers
- Thread starter dragnlaw
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Nope, have never had squirel either, though my cousin used to hunt them and kept trying to get me to try them. I've about worked myself up into trying rabbit since Penn Dutch carries them in their freezer case, though I intermittently watch the specials at an Italian restaurant we like as the chef has rabbit specials from time to time. It's just something about the cute tiny furry things. I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but there are a few things that will never knowingly pass my lips and I don't care how good people say they are.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
This past summer I stopped off by our old house to drop off a gift for an eccentric neighbor with whom we've remained close friends.
I saw him in his yard with a bloody bag tied to his belt, digging a hole into one of his flower beds.
Now, the back story on this guy is that no one has ever been able to get the truth out of him about what he did for a living in his younger years. There's always a diffetent story. However, he has strange things strewn about his hpuse, like napkins from the White House, folders marked with government credentials on them in the bookshelves, and an entire arsenal of weapons in his basement.
Anyway, as I brought him the gift, he handed me the bloody bag to hold so he could finish digging the hole. I looked inside, and there were 2 squirrels inside, both killed with petfect headshots.
Apparently, the squirrels were destroying his garden, so he showed me how he was able to take them out by using a .22 from an upstairs bedroom/book depository, and the way no one heard the gunshots was that he used a small load in the shell. Shot from within the house, it was relatively quiet.
I then realized his backyard was the squirrel version of Dealey Plaza.
I teased him tbat he was wasting good meat and fur. The look he gave me made me happy I brought him a gift.
Now back to funky peppercorns.
I saw him in his yard with a bloody bag tied to his belt, digging a hole into one of his flower beds.
Now, the back story on this guy is that no one has ever been able to get the truth out of him about what he did for a living in his younger years. There's always a diffetent story. However, he has strange things strewn about his hpuse, like napkins from the White House, folders marked with government credentials on them in the bookshelves, and an entire arsenal of weapons in his basement.
Anyway, as I brought him the gift, he handed me the bloody bag to hold so he could finish digging the hole. I looked inside, and there were 2 squirrels inside, both killed with petfect headshots.
Apparently, the squirrels were destroying his garden, so he showed me how he was able to take them out by using a .22 from an upstairs bedroom/book depository, and the way no one heard the gunshots was that he used a small load in the shell. Shot from within the house, it was relatively quiet.
I then realized his backyard was the squirrel version of Dealey Plaza.
I teased him tbat he was wasting good meat and fur. The look he gave me made me happy I brought him a gift.
Now back to funky peppercorns.
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OP
OP
Bucky you had best stay on his good side! Maybe posting this was not such a good idea, think of the starting scenes in the movie RED. 
RPCookin
Executive Chef
Savory Spice Shop also has Szechuan peppers and ships internationally, but only when ordered by phone. Info at SavorySpiceShop.com.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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My DD bought some Szechuan peppercorns and put them in my grinder. They aren't very hot to me or my DD.
OP
OP
They are not said to be "hot". Supposedly they have a "numbing" quality.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
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Not that either.
On my Chinese take out menus Szechuan dishes are in red print and are usually spicy hot.
OP
OP
msmofat, you are confusing Szechwan Peppers with Szechwan style of cooking. 
The "peppercorns" come from a plant that is native to Szechwan Province in China. 
Here is a link from Allrecipes that pretty much explains it. About Szechwan Peppers
The "peppercorns" come from a plant that is native to Szechwan Province in China. Here is a link from Allrecipes that pretty much explains it. About Szechwan Peppers
powerplantop
Executive Chef
That is from chili peppers or pepper oil. The prickly ash (Szechwan pepper corns). Give a slight numbing effect and a floral taste to the dish.
This has a good but quick read on them. 6 Things You Need To Know About Szechuan Peppers (+ 21 Great Recipes) - Allrecipes Dish But I am not sure about the recipes.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
When you have eaten something cooked with good quality Sichuan pepper "corns" (in quotes because they aren't really pepper corns) you will know it. It will make your mouth tingle.
Its an entirely different taste from the hot peppers/pepper pastes, etc. used in many Sichuan dishes.
The heat in Sichaun dishes comes from those hot peppers and pastes, not really from Sichuan pepper corns which aren't all that hot. But they are often used together.
I have Fuchia Dunlop's incredible authentic Sichuan cookery book "Land of Plenty" open on my lap as I type this. Just a coincidence because I am going to make a few dishes from it this weekend. Its a terrific, terrific book if you want to know more about real Sichuan cuisine and ingredients.
I bought her Hunan book for myself for Xmas too but it hasn't arrived yet ...
Its an entirely different taste from the hot peppers/pepper pastes, etc. used in many Sichuan dishes.
The heat in Sichaun dishes comes from those hot peppers and pastes, not really from Sichuan pepper corns which aren't all that hot. But they are often used together.
I have Fuchia Dunlop's incredible authentic Sichuan cookery book "Land of Plenty" open on my lap as I type this. Just a coincidence because I am going to make a few dishes from it this weekend. Its a terrific, terrific book if you want to know more about real Sichuan cuisine and ingredients.
I bought her Hunan book for myself for Xmas too but it hasn't arrived yet ...
Usually when Szechuan peppercorns are used in cooking, it is in a Ma-La dish. The name itself refers to spicy-numbing, from the Ma (numbing) and La (spicy hot) and it means that both Szechuan peppercorns and dried hot chillies similar to cayenne are used. It's a classic preparation.
The Szechuan peppercorns are only called peppercorns because they sort of look like peppercorns, but they aren't. They are a berry, the same way allspice is a berry, but the similarity also ends there. They do offer a floral and numbing effect and if you don't notice it, you probably just used a light amount of the spice.
If you do use it, I advise crushing it fresh in your mortar and pestle and then sifting it in a fine sieve because it has a tendency to be sort of gritty. I have seen little bottles of the sifted sold at Asian markets marked as Szechuan pepper.
The Szechuan peppercorns are only called peppercorns because they sort of look like peppercorns, but they aren't. They are a berry, the same way allspice is a berry, but the similarity also ends there. They do offer a floral and numbing effect and if you don't notice it, you probably just used a light amount of the spice.
If you do use it, I advise crushing it fresh in your mortar and pestle and then sifting it in a fine sieve because it has a tendency to be sort of gritty. I have seen little bottles of the sifted sold at Asian markets marked as Szechuan pepper.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
I wonder if we are all talking about the same spice. I've never found Szechuan pepper to be spicy hot. I get the mouth numbing effect from it, too.
The Szechuan pepper I buy at the local Asian market is labeled "Chinese Prickly Ash". If you take some on your fingertip and put it in your mouth will definitely cause the numbing sensation.
For the heat characteristic of Szechuan dishes, I've always used dried chilies.
The Szechuan pepper I buy at the local Asian market is labeled "Chinese Prickly Ash". If you take some on your fingertip and put it in your mouth will definitely cause the numbing sensation.
For the heat characteristic of Szechuan dishes, I've always used dried chilies.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Dragnlaw's original post was asking about the Szechuan peppercorns, not the hot chile peppers. This is the link she posted: http://theepicentre.com/spice/szechuan-pepper
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
Right.
I wasn't responding to Dragnlaw directly. My point was more directed at some on the thread who claim to experience "capsicum heat" with Szechuan pepper, and whom I suspect may be confusing it with other types of spices used in the dish. Just the word "pepper" itself, in English, seems to imply "heat" for some, and perhaps that's where some of the confusion lies.
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GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Gotcha. I think you're right about that.
RPCookin
Executive Chef
For general information: To those who used the term "capsicum" above, I think you were meaning "capsaicin".
Capsicum is a genus of the nightshade family, and includes most of what we commonly refer to as "peppers", including the bell pepper (the only capsicum pepper with no capsaicin at all) and other mild or sweet peppers.
Capsaicin is the active ingredient which makes a hot pepper "hot".
Capsicum is a genus of the nightshade family, and includes most of what we commonly refer to as "peppers", including the bell pepper (the only capsicum pepper with no capsaicin at all) and other mild or sweet peppers.
Capsaicin is the active ingredient which makes a hot pepper "hot".
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
That was me that used the term.
I just picked up some dinner tonight from my favourite Chinese joint, and after reading this thread, I asked the folks there about the "peppercorns" since they specialize in Szechuan (or Sichuan) dishes. In fact, of all of the Chinese takeout that I've had in my life, this is the only place that actually makes really spicy hot Chinese and Chinese American food, using both dried and ground hot peppers, as well as spicy hot oils.
I read them some of the responses, and they agreed that what I've had before was what Sue referred to as Ma-La, so most of the heat was from chili peppers. However, they said that good sichuan peppercorns in China also have some level of heat, so they're not just floral and numbing.
I wonder if, like so many spices, they lose something as they age. Strange, though, as heat usually comes from oils which don't easily evaporate.
I just picked up some dinner tonight from my favourite Chinese joint, and after reading this thread, I asked the folks there about the "peppercorns" since they specialize in Szechuan (or Sichuan) dishes. In fact, of all of the Chinese takeout that I've had in my life, this is the only place that actually makes really spicy hot Chinese and Chinese American food, using both dried and ground hot peppers, as well as spicy hot oils.
I read them some of the responses, and they agreed that what I've had before was what Sue referred to as Ma-La, so most of the heat was from chili peppers. However, they said that good sichuan peppercorns in China also have some level of heat, so they're not just floral and numbing.
I wonder if, like so many spices, they lose something as they age. Strange, though, as heat usually comes from oils which don't easily evaporate.
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
Yes they deteriorate a lot as they age. Their zing can be almost undetectable in aged pepper
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
And how much for shipping if you don't have Prime? Not everyone does. We don't. Then again, we might be the only people in the world that don't.
No. I cancelled my Prime. Since I now order all of my taxable items from Jet, and more often than not, receive them within two days, I saw no need for it any longer. Ninety-nine dollars saved.
Suthseaxa
Senior Cook
I have found that adding some Sichuan pepper powder aids that numbing feeling
