606636 Wed Mar 25 08:31:12 -0700 2009 15 2 Los Angeles Area 0 4536568 Hi, I'm just finishing Fuchsia Dunlop's wonderful book "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China". Reading her descriptions of the fragrant peppercorns permeating any room they are in has reignited my quest for Sichuan Peppercorns. My original source was the Kowloon Market in Chinatown, long since gone. When the peppercorns were banned I gave up trying to find them but apparently the ban has lifted. The problem is that instead of seeing the big bags of peppercorns, now I only see little spice jars of peppercorns!!! They still would have to be prepared the same ... [heating until very hot, whirring in the food processor and shaken in a sieve to get the usuable powder] ... so what is the point of buying only the little tiny spice jars? Does anyone know of a source in Los Angeles to buy bags of Sichuan Peppercorns. I'm willing to drive. Wed Mar 25 08:31:12 -0700 2009 13794 SilverlakeGirl 1 4536635 Ranch 99 sells it and also I saw bags of them the other day at the hot sauce shop at the farmers market the one near the grove. Wed Mar 25 08:43:01 -0700 2009 4536568 97947 trojans 1 4536637 I bought some in Ranch 99 on Victory and Sepulveda. It came in cellophane bags. I have bought them many years before and they look the same. Wed Mar 25 08:43:21 -0700 2009 4536568 251532 bgazindad 1 4536650 I'm pretty sure I saw these at the new Penzey's Spices on 4th St. in Santa Monica. They have several kinds of peppercorns available in bags/jars of various sizes. Wed Mar 25 08:45:28 -0700 2009 4536568 113437 katydid13 2 4536720 Also read Dunlop and was curious to try these peppercorns in something besides chili-spiced Chinese. Penzey's has them, but they are only sold in cute tiny glass jars. For large bags, consult the spice master at www.le-sanctuaire.com Too bad they're not in LA anymore and you have to special order. Wed Mar 25 09:06:34 -0700 2009 4536650 173377 tablefor1 3 4536733 If you're in Silverlake, you're in luck, Silverlakegirl. Just go to any of the big grocery Chinese stores in the San Gabriel Valley and you can get a big bag of them -- maybe 8 or 12 ounces -- for around a dollar. Happy cooking. Love that book. Wed Mar 25 09:12:19 -0700 2009 4536720 16826 banjoboy 2 4537453 Penzeys does have 3 options in small spice jars and one option in a bag ... $18.00!!! Wed Mar 25 12:17:50 -0700 2009 4536650 13794 SilverlakeGirl 3 4539352 As I recall, the Penzeys Web site reflects (usual) store availability. They list five sizes: Szechuan Peppercorns .4 oz. 1/4 cup jar 56531 2.35 Szechuan Peppercorns 1 oz. 1/2 cup jar 56557 3.69 Szechuan Peppercorns 4 oz. bag 56544 5.49 Szechuan Peppercorns 8 oz. bag 56586 9.95 Szechuan Peppercorns 1 lb. bag 56515 18.90 Wed Mar 25 23:39:24 -0700 2009 4537453 77350 sbritchky 1 4536911 Any Chinese market will have them. Their name in Chinese is 花椒 (huajiao, or "flower pepper"), or for English-speaking places, try Penzey's in Santa Monica or Torrance -- cute little jars, perhaps, but the Torrance one has plastic sacks in various sizes. A little goes a long way, though -- twelve husks with twelve dried chilies will give an entire wok full of food a VERY powerful 麻辣 (ma la, spicy-and-numbing) flavour. Wed Mar 25 09:53:55 -0700 2009 4536568 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 4537084 I've found them, usually in smallish bags but cheap enough to buy several bags, at A-Grocery Warehouse on Sunset in Echo Park. As I live in Silverlake, that's a whole lot closer than even the SG Valley, although I do tend to shop in San Gabriel pretty frequently. Wed Mar 25 10:35:15 -0700 2009 4536568 12292 estone888 2 4537472 Thanks. I'll try the ABC Grocery Warehouse in Echo Park. I'm in there often but had never noticed them. I'm curious as to how people managed to heat, grind and sift such a small amount of peppercorns. I have always ground up about a quarter of a bag to get a small amount and keep it sealed in a dark container. The whole husk is not used. Wed Mar 25 12:21:29 -0700 2009 4537084 13794 SilverlakeGirl 3 4537571 I use a motar and pestal. Wed Mar 25 12:41:02 -0700 2009 4537472 251532 bgazindad 2 4539156 I was actually just there today and looked for them but couldn't find them. The workers had know idea what they were either... :( maybe they ran out? what isle were they? Wed Mar 25 21:06:31 -0700 2009 4537084 189870 hppzz 1 4537248 At Surfas they have medium-sized jars for about $5. They last quite a while. Wed Mar 25 11:24:27 -0700 2009 4536568 12460 Chowpatty 1 4539167 They're also at Penzey's in Torrance, and those are the best I've seen. But if they have them at Surfas then you can probably be assured that their's is top-notch as well. Wed Mar 25 21:13:03 -0700 2009 4536568 56801 georgempavlov 1 4539327 good to know they're at surfas. thanks. Wed Mar 25 23:19:31 -0700 2009 4536568 230738 alkylyou