ickle.org » peppercorns

Pungent and aromatic, peppercorns are the single most popular spice used in today's cooking. They're available in a range of colours (depending on country and age of origin, use and required effect) with the pungency being strongest in white, weakest in green,

while black and green are more aromatic than white. Black is the most common and expensive, green is used in mustard, white in white sauces where black would spoil the colour and red is rarely used at all.

They must have been used in pre-biblical times but didn't reach Europe and the West until Alexander the Great attempted to conquer India circa the 4th century B.C.

NS²