Long Pepper
Long Pepper was used widely throughout Europe, Africa, and much of Asia until the smaller, black pepper pushed it out. We'd argue, though, that Long Pepper is the more delicious, complex spice. Some claim that it's an aphrodisiac. Long Pepper has been used in Ayurveda for more than a thousand years, for its medicinal and dietary benefits, particularly for digestion and colds.
The part of the Long Pepper we eat is the unripened catkin, or spike, that is harvested and dried. Those spikes are 1 1/2 - 2 inches long and can be ground in a coffee grinder, a pepper grinder, or a blender. Your long pepper will arrive in a sealed, glass jar.
