Soulmates in flavor, salt and black pepper are basic pantry staples in almost every household. Recognizable and familiar, they impart the perfect balance of craveable saltiness and peppery heat to dishes from prep stage to tableside. When asked to elevate the profile of this beloved duo to a new level for a snack seasoning, I knew it would be a challenging and important task.
Pink peppercorn berries are native to the island of Reunion, unrelated to the Piper nigrum species that produces black, white, and green peppercorns. Slightly sweet with a mild spice, the rounded flavor of pink peppercorn was the exact taste needed for this project. The resulting combination of pink peppercorn with black pepper and other peppers evolved into a tri-peppercorn profile that when paired with sea salt produced exactly the desired result I was seeking: a sweet, fragrant, garlicky pepper flavor and savory saltiness, otherwise known as salt and pepper reimagined!
Popcorn is an obvious start for the application of this exciting seasoning, but it’s a unique offering for many snack bases and bakery items like crackers and breadsticks. I’d love to see it used with a savory snack or grain bar, or in meal applications like salmon and pork dishes. There’s no wrong way to enjoy it!
Feeling inspired? To deliver a salt and pepper twist to your applications, get in touch with McCormick today.
