History of Peppermills

Because of its unique flavor and pungent aroma, black pepper (Piper nigrum) has been the most widely traded spice in the world for over three hundred years. Peppercorns from the Piper nigrum plan are bright red berries that turn black when they are dried and harvested. A pepper mill is then used to ground the peppercorns into a powdered spice called pepper.

For centuries, a mortar and pestle were used to crush peppercorns into powdered spice. Since the 14th century in Greece, brass coffee mills performed double duty to ground coffee as well as spices such as pepper. In 1842, the modern pepper grinder was created by Peugeot of France, the famous automobile manufacturer. Peugeot designed the internal grinding mechanism with grinding and channeling grooves that line up to crack the peppercorns and then grind them into powder. This internal mechanism is at the core of the pepper mills manufactured today, whether manually operated or battery operated.

The internal mechanism of a pepper mill can be made from stainless steel, nylon or ceramic and each material has its own benefits. Stainless steel is extremely durable, nylon won't corrode and ceramic is strong and porous. Pepper grinders with a mill crank are turned manually to grind pepper. Battery operated mills and mills with squeeze handles practically operate themselves and involve less labor.

The outer of the unit of the pepper mill can be made of wood, metal, glass or plastic and is designed to be decorative. Pepper grinders are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and some pepper grinders are even handcrafted from special woods such as ebony or teak. There are even pepper grinders that have built-in salt shakers on the top.

Fresh pepper also offers a wealth of health benefits. Pepper stimulates taste buds to increase hydrochloric acid secretion and improve digestion. Black pepper prevents gas, helps to naturally promote sweating and urination and has antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Also, a little know benefit is the outer layer of the peppercorn actually stimulates the breakdown of fat cells.

Australian food specialist Simon Johnson sums up pepper grinding the best in his book Providore. He accurately states that if you could only take one spice to a desert island with you, it would have to be pepper because nothing compares to the aromatic hit of freshly ground pepper.