Question about Penzeys whole black peppercorns

[Sailing77]

For as long as I can remember I have been using Penzeys Indian Tellicherry whole black peppercorns. It is time to refill my grinder and I am curious about the Penzys Special Extra Bold peppercorns. Has anyone tried this blend? How does it compare to the Indian Tellicherry? Thank you for any comments!

Cheers.

[GretchenS]

I really like it but I am somewhat suggestible (as in, I just feel "special" using it!) so I couldn't swear that I could tell the dfference in a blind tasting.

[Gio]

Well, now you have me wondering. I have been using Penzey's Tellicherry peppercorns since forever. Considering the Extra Special is almost 4.00$ more per pound... it must be pretty good? A few other COTM cooks use Penzey's Tellicherry too. I hope others resopnd to your query.

[California Sunshine]

I opened a small jar of the extra bold this week, and really like it. Have only used it on fried and scrambled eggs, and on top of a salad. It's quite nice...very tasty, strong flavor. Next time I'm there, I'll buy the larger size!

[JMF]

Special refers to longer maturation on the vine, the extra bold refers to larger size. Some folks like the flavor of the older peppercorns, some don't. It's kind of a personal thing. They are more complex, but not as spicy.

One problem with extra bold/larger sizes of peppercorns is that some peppermills can't handle them. They are too big to pass through the opening to the burr. I think that's one reason why Penzey's switched to selling a different brand or style of peppermill from the Zassenhaus they originally carried.

By the way, the process of sorting out regular sizes from bold and extra bold, is just passing them through different sized screens. Smaller ones go through, larger don't. So they charge more for larger ones from the same original harvest.

[Antilope]

Yep. I thought my pepper grinder was broken. Hardly anytihing would come out. Put in a different brand and the pepper grinder worked again. Mystery solved.

[iL Divo]

boy you've all got me wondering now myself.
I'll be in the Burg in a few days and will go into Penzy's and give her a taste

[DoobieWah]

I've only used Penzey's Extra Bold in my table grinder since I discovered them several years ago.

It's practically the only thing I buy at Penzey's with any regularity.

[woodleyparkhound]

What DoobieWah said! That could have been my post on this subject. I've used Extra Bold for years. I'd like to do a blind testing though. It seems to me the flavor has some extra oomph.

[Sailing77]

I will be getting some of the Extra Bold tomorrow. It turns out I still have some of the Tellicherry left so I can do a blind taste test. The only thing is that the Tellicherry is older and may have lost a little of it's oomph.

Thanks to all for your comments!

[BobB]

I'd love to see someone try a blind tasting - have a friend grind a bit of both and then you compare the smell & taste without knowing which is which. Maybe use a bit of bland food like plain boiled potato as a tasting medium.

[lemons]

There's more of a kick - not just heat, but overall flavor. I tried it once and never went back. Particularly good in a salad. (And I say all this as someone who for years avoided black pepper in any form. Things change.)

[jgg13]

The Spice House (very related company, literally) has the tellicherry but also some organic ecuadorean black peppercorns. I wonder if these are the same as the extra bold?

If so, the difference is very noticeable. When I've used the ecuadorean ones, that was the only time I can ever remember actually finding food to be 'hot' from using peppercorns. I had to be very careful when cooking for others, actually.

[Erich]

We have bought the Extra Bold from Penzy's since they became available - I do find them to be more flavorful than the Tellicherry. FWIW . . .

[Sailing77]

Reporting back, fellow 'hounds.

In a blind tasting I prefered the Extra Bold to the Tellicherry. Both are excellent but the Extra Bold is more complex and a bit more intense than the Tellicherry. It is not sharp but is packed with layers of flavor. It can over power more delicate items but it compliments things like steak and grilled pork chops excellently.

Thanks for all of the replies!

[Erich]

Thanks for the follow-up! It confirms my feelings without me having to do any work!

[MacGuffin]

I bought a bag of the SEB and keep them in the freezer until I need them. I really like them a lot and others who've tried them on my recommendation won't use anything else now. I use a Perfex and have never had a problem grinding them; I sometimes make my own four-pepper blend with Penzeys green, pink, and Sarawak white peppercorns (all stored in the freezer as well) with the SEB.

The downside is that Penzeys store (booth?) in the Grand Central Market closed and I wasn't aware of it until I went to do some shopping. I'm hoping they find another location; I don't buy enough seasonings at one time to justify ordering online.