Dehydrated and peeled pink berries

Dehydrated and peeled pink berries

These fruits, improperly called "pepper" because they belong to the Anacardiaceae botanical family and not the Piperaceae family, are also known as: Rose pepper, false pepper, American pepper, Peruvian pepper, Bourbon pepper, Brazilian pepper etc.
Native to Brazil, its close relative, Schinus molle, is native to Peru. The main producer countries are Reunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and French Guiana. It was introduced into Florida where it grows in the wild today. It is an elegant and decorative tree, a relation to the mastic and planted along the streets all around the Mediterranean.
The emergence of this spice in our cuisine is very recent. It made a big entry with the "nouvelle cuisine" trend. It should be mentioned that it is slightly indigestible and if consumed in high quantities is slightly toxic.

Our perfect combination : the entirely dehydrated berry is very fragile and cannot withstand heat. These dehulled berries can be used on hot dishes and for gentle cooking. It is advisable to use a very fine grinder.