Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 10, Episode 11 - Pop Art - full transcript
LET US, FOR A BRIEF MOMENT,
CONTEMPLATE THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN TABLE SETTING.
DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING ODD?
HERE, LET ME HELP YOU.
HOW ABOUT NOW?
WELL, OF COURSE YOU DON'T
BECAUSE SALT AND PEPPER
HAVE ALWAYS STOOD TOGETHER
EVER SINCE, WELL, A LONG TIME.
BUT HOW DID THE KING OF SPICES
COME TO PLAY A PRE-GROUND
TONTO TO SALT'S LONE RANGER?
I SUSPECT THAT FOOD PROCESSORS,
DURING
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION,
CASHED IN ON PEPPER'S FORMER
CACHE BY PRE-GRINDING IT
AND THEN MIXING IT UP WITH COAL
DUST AND PENCIL SHAVINGS,
THUS INCREASING THEIR PROFITS
AND LOWERING
THE FLAVOR EXPECTATIONS
OF GENERATIONS OF COOKS.
WELL, I'M HERE TO SAY
IT'S GONNA STOP.
IF YOU'VE GOT
A PEPPER SHAKER ON YOUR TABLE,
I WANT YOU TO PICK IT UP. I WANT
YOU TO GO OVER TO THE WINDOW,
OPEN THE WINDOW AND YELL,
"I'M MAD AS--"
ON SECOND THOUGHT,
MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE IT
INTO A CINNAMON SHAKER
FOR YOUR CAPPUCCINO,
BUT AS FOR PEPPER, FROM NOW ON,
IT WILL REIGN AGAIN
AS THE KING OF SPICES.
AT LEAST IT WILL HERE ON...
¶
Captioning provided by
Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
¶
THE STORY OF PEPPER
STARTS ABOUT 1000 B.C.
WHEN PIPER NIGRUM HARVESTED
ON THE MALABAR COAST
IS MOVED INTO EUROPE
BY ARAB TRADERS
TO MAINTAIN THEIR MONOPOLY
ON THE SPICE
BY MAKING UP CRAZY STORIES
AS TO ITS ORIGIN.
SO WHERE'S THIS PEPPER STUFF
COME FROM, ANYWAY?
WELL, AFRICAN SWALLOWS
CARRY THE SEEDS TO THE TOP
OF RUSSIAN MOUNTAINS WHERE
THEY'RE CONSUMED BY DRAGONS--
YEAH--WHO SNEEZE THEM OUT
IN GREAT BILLOWS OF FIRE.
THEN SPECIALLY TRAINED MONKEYS
RUN INTO THE CAVES
AND PICK THEM UP
WHILE THE DRAGON SLEEPS.
ARE YOU SURE?
YEP, PRETTY SURE.
(bird chirping)
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
TRUE PEPPERCORNS
ARE THE FRUITS
OF A TROPICAL VINE--
A PIPER NIGRUM--
COMMONLY FOUND CLIMBING UP
PALMS AND EUCALYPTUS TREES
AND OFTEN
EVEN MAN-MADE TRELLISES.
NOW THE FRUITS THEMSELVES ARE
PACKED INTO DENSE LITTLE SPIKES
CONTAINING 50 OR MORE BERRIES
THAT START OUT GREEN
BEFORE EVENTUALLY TURNING YELLOW
AND THEN RED AS THEY MATURE.
NOW I'M SURE THAT IF WE
REALLY LOOK HARD AROUND HERE,
WE WILL EVENTUALLY SEE--
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
(Indian music playing)
HELLO.
(British accent)
OH, GOOD MORNING!
WHAT ARE YOU DOIN'?
WHY, I'M TAKING THESE PEPPERS
TO HARVEST, OF COURSE.
NAME'S PEPPER.
YEAH, MILITARY?
YES, QUITE.
SERGEANT, ACTUALLY.
SERGEANT PEPPER.
MM-HMM.
TELL ME, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT YOUR NAMESAKE SPICE HERE?
WELL, I SHOULD SAY SO!
MY PARTNER MR. KITE AND I
ARE IN THE PEPPER BIZ.
FASCINATING SPICE, REALLY.
YES, YOU KNOW THAT THE BERRIES
CAN RENDER MULTIPLE PRODUCTS
DEPENDING ON HOW
THEY'RE TREATED, YES.
REALLY.
IF YOU PICK THE PEPPER
PRIOR TO MATURITY,
THEN FERMENT AND DRY IT,
YOU HAVE THE BLACK PEPPERCORN...
GRACIOUS.
WHICH IS GRADED
GEOGRAPHICALLY.
OH, SO THEY'RE
KIND OF LIKE COFFEE BEANS.
EXACTLY! GOOD SHOW, YES.
MALABAR AND TELLICHERRY
PEPPERCORNS FROM INDIA--
QUITE WELL-KNOWN,
AND THE SARAWAK FROM MALAYSIA,
THAT'S A GOOD ONE,
OH, AND LAMPONG
FROM INDONESIA--
WELL, TELL ME SOMETHING,
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HARVEST THEM
WHEN THEY'RE
COMPLETELY RIPE?
OH, WELL, IF YOU
REMOVE THE SKIN,
THEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH THE LONELY
HEART OF THE FRUIT KNOWN AS--
OH, OH,
I KNOW THIS ONE!
RIGHT THERE!
WHITE PEPPERCORNS!
YES! VERY GOOD!
HIGH MARKS FOR YOU.
THE WHITE PEPPERCORN. IT'S NOT
AS FRAGRANT OR AS FLAVORFUL
AS ITS
FULLY-DRESSED COUSINS.
UH-HUH.
HOWEVER, ITS
PALE COUNTENANCE
IS A QUITE GOOD COMPLEMENT
TO A LIGHT-COLORED DISH.
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT--
WHAT ABOUT THESE GUYS?
WHAT ABOUT GREEN PEPPERCORN?
WELL, GREEN PEPPERCORNS
ARE JUST LIKE BLACK PEPPERCORNS,
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE PICKLED
IN A BRINE BEFORE THEY ARE
BOTTLED OR DRIED.
NOW THEY'RE NOT AS FRAGRANT AS
THE WHITE OR BLACK PEPPERCORN,
I SHOULD SAY, AND THEN
WE HAVE THE PINK PEPPERCORNS.
WAIT A SECOND.
I READ ABOUT THOSE.
THOSE AREN'T REALLY
PIPER NIGRUM AT ALL.
THOSE ARE JUST BERRIES
FROM A--
FROM A SOUTH AMERICAN PLANT
CALLED...
YES, YES INDEED.
SCHINUS TEREBINTHIFOLIUS.
SCHINUS--
THAT ONE. THAT ONE.
MM-HMM.
SO THEY'RE NOT REAL
AT ALL.
WELL, UGH. I CAN'T PULL
ANYTHING OVER ON YOU, SIR.
YOU--YOU'VE GOT ME
AT A DISADVANTAGE.
LOOK HERE, TRY THIS.
(laughs evilly)
BUT YOU JUST TOLD ME--
WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT, EH?
THAT'S CALLED
THE SICHUAN PEPPERCORN.
NOW NOT A PEPPER PROPER,
IT IS ACTUALLY THE DRIED BERRY
OF THE PRICKLY ASH
ZANTHOXYLUM SIMULANS.
IT HAS PEPPERY
CITRUS SMELL
AND THE TASTE IS RATHER TANGY,
ISN'T IT? RATHER, ISN'T IT?
(funny voice)
MY TONGUE IS NUMB.
YOUR TONGUE IS NUMB, ISN'T IT?
YOU CAN'T CORRECT ME ANYMORE.
BUT I CAN'T
SAY ANYTHING!
OH, NO-NO! DON'T WORRY,
GOOD SIR. DON'T WORRY. NO.
THAT NUMBING SENSATION
THAT YOU'RE FEELING IS ACTUALLY
CAUSED BY
HYDROXY-ALPHA-SANSHOOL,
WHICH IS ALL THE CURRENT RAGE
AMONGST THE ANESTHESIOLOGY
RESEARCH SET HERE.
(normal voice) REALLY.
WELL, NOT TO COOKS.
MM-HMM. OH.
LOOK, I'VE GOT TO GO PUT
SOME MONEY IN THE METER.
DO YOU THINK
IT'LL TAKE PEPPERCORNS?
PEPPERCORNS?
IN THE METER?
UH-HUH.
WELL, NOT IF RITA'S WORKING.
SHE'S QUITE A STICKLER, YES.
BUT YOU KNOW HER SISTERS.
NOW THAT'S ANOTHER STORY, YES.
AH, KNOW
HER SISTERS, YES.
ONE IS QUITE A LOVELY LADY--
WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU
ABOUT MY EXPLOITS, YES.
NOW UPON EXAMINING
THE BLACK PEPPERCORN,
YOU WILL, NO DOUBT,
NOTICE THAT THERE'S A--
WELL, YOU CAN SEE THE--
OH, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
WHAT WE NEED IS
A REALLY BIG PEPPERCORN.
(crash landing)
YEAH, LIKE THAT!
NOW WHEN THE--THE PEPPER FRUIT
IS ALLOWED TO FERMENT
AND IS THEN DRIED,
THE OUTER SKIN WRINKLES,
OXIDIZES AND TURNS BLACK.
THAT IS A SIGN THAT IT
HAS CAPTURED A WIDE RANGE
OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS CALLED
TERPENES,
AND THEY KIND OF GIVE
THE OVERALL SPICE A--
KIND OF A WOODSY, CITRUSY,
COLOGNE-Y KIND OF THING.
NOW IF WE BREACH THE-THE FRUIT
BY EITHER CRACKING IT
OR GRINDING IT...
(grunt)
WOW.
WE RELEASE A VOLATILE OIL
CALLED PIPERINE IN THE PROCESS.
NOW WHEN COMBINED,
THE PIPERINE AND THE--
AND THE VARIOUS TERPENES
ON THE SURFACE
COME TOGETHER TO GIVE PEPPER
ITS PLEASANTLY PUNGENT FLAVOR.
NOW PIPERINE IS A MEMBER
OF THE VANILLOID FAMILY,
BUT UNLIKE ITS FIERY
CHILI PEPPER COUSIN CAPSAICIN,
PIPERINE LEAVES ONLY A FAINT
AFTERTASTE ON THE TONGUE.
IT DOES, HOWEVER,
STIMULATE TASTE BUDS,
INCREASING THE FLOW OF SALIVA
AND GASTRIC JUICES.
THUS, IT IMPROVES DIGESTION.
FORTUNATELY FOR THE COOK,
THE ESSENTIAL OILS INVOLVED HERE
ARE NOT ONLY TASTY AND AROMATIC,
THEY ARE SOLUBLE
IN MANY DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES,
WHICH IS JUST
ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING
THEY'RE GOOD
AT FLAVORING THINGS.
THEY'RE GOOD
AT FLAVORING THINGS.
¶
SICK AND TIRED OF BUYING
OVERPRICED PEPPERCORNS
FROM THE VENETIAN CARTEL,
THE PORTUGUESE CROWN
SENDS VASCO da GAMA TO FIND
A SEA ROUTE TO INDIA IN 1494.
NOW, EVENTUALLY, HE
WORKS HIS WAY AROUND THE CAPE
AND INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN,
AND WITHIN A DECADE,
THE PORTUGUESE WERE
THE NEW KINGS OF SPICE.
LATER THE DUTCH AND THE ENGLISH
WOULD OVERTUMOHAT TNOPOLY.
NOW BY THE END
OF THE 18th CENTURY,
MOST EUROPEAN PEPPER WAS RUN
THROUGH SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS,
WHOSE SPEEDY CLIPPER SHIPS
MADE THOUSANDS OF RUNS
TO PEPPER PORTS
ALONG THE ISLAND OF SUMATRA,
MAKING PEPPER
AFFORDABLE TO ALL.
I THINK THAT IT COULD BE ARGUED
THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRENDS
IN ALCOHOL IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
HAS BEEN THE TREND
TOWARDS FLAVORED SPIRITS,
AND ONE OF THE SPIRITS
MOST OFTEN FLAVORED
IS, OF COURSE, VODKA.
NOW THIS IS A LUCKY THING
IF YOU LIKE PEPPER VODKA,
BECAUSE PEPPER, BLACK PEPPER,
IS FULL OF ALCOHOL-SOLUBLE
FLAVORANT.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY YOURSELF
A BOTTLE OF PEPPER VODKA,
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN.
AND VODKA IS REALLY PERFECT
FOR THIS KIND OF TREATMENT,
'CAUSE, LET'S FACE IT,
IT DOESN'T HAVE
MUCH FLAVOR OF ITS OWN.
WE WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF 2 TABLESPOONS
OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS.
AS IS TRUE OF ANY SPICE,
PUNGENCY IS PROTECTED
BY PURCHASING WHOLE PEPPERCORNS,
WHICH WE WILL BREACH
ONLY AT THE LAST MINUTE
BEFORE USE.
NOW, SPEAKING OF BREACHING,
WE JUST WANT
CRACKED PEPPERCORNS HERE,
SO WE WILL EMPLOY
A MORTAR AND PESTLE THUSLY.
YEAH, THIS'LL BE DONE
IN NO TIME.
THIS'LL JUST--
THIS IS--
THIS IS GONNA TAKE FOREVER.
WELL, WE NEED SOME PERCUSSION.
WE NEED A--
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT.
NOW I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS WHAT
I WOULD CALL PLEASANTLY CRACKED,
AND AS FOR THE AROMA--
OH, YOU CAN'T SMELL THAT,
CAN YOU? I'M SORRY.
GRAB YOURSELF A FUNNEL,
APPROACH YOUR 750 MILLILITER
BOTTLE OF VODKA,
AND APPLY THE FRUIT THUSLY.
THERE.
SOME OF IT'S GONNA SINK.
SOME OF IT'S GONNA FLOAT.
THAT'S FINE.
GIVE IT A GOOD SHAKE, AND THEN
GIVE IT A SHAKE ONCE A DAY
EVERY OTHER DAY FOR SEVEN DAYS,
IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND YOU WILL HAVE YOURSELF
A PERFECTLY DECENT BOTTLE OF...
PEPPERED VODKA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD A LOT
OF INFUSION FROM THE BERRIES
UP INTO THE ALCOHOL,
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
IT ALL HAPPENED
IN JUST SEVEN DAYS.
OH, WELL, IT'S
MY FAVORITE SHIRT. I'LL WASH IT.
ANYWAY, TIME TO STRAIN.
AND I'VE JUST GOT
A WIRE MESH STRAINER
WITH A PIECE OF CHEESE CLOTH
SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
BE SURE TO GIVE THE BOTTLE
A GOOD SHAKE
TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING
IS LOOSE AND NOTHING STICKS,
AND INTO THE STRAINER IT GOES.
THERE WE GO.
NOW OUR NICE, SHINY, CLEAN VODKA
GOES RIGHT BACK IN THE BOTTLE.
PEPPER VODKA OBVIOUSLY COULD BE
USED FOR MANY A COCKTAIL.
I HAVE TO SAY,
THE BLOODY MARY IS PROBABLY
ITS PEAK APPLICATION.
ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT
THAT A CONTROLLED
SONIC PULSE SYSTEM
IS THE KEY
TO PERFECT PEPPER GRINDING,
ALMOST EVERY PEPPERMILL
CURRENTLY ON THE PLANET
IS BASED UPON A DESIGN
INTRODUCED IN 1874
BY JEAN-PIERRE
AND JEAN-FREDERIC PEUGEOT,
WHO, AT THE TIME,
WERE BEST KNOWN
FOR MANUFACTURING HANDSAWS,
OF ALL THINGS.
NOW THEIR DESIGN
FEATURED A WOODEN TUBE,
WHICH FED THE PEPPER
INTO A ROTARY MILL
COMPOSED OF A GROOVED MALE HEAD
AND A GROOVED FEMALE RING.
ALTHOUGH STEEL HAS LONG BEEN
THE NORM, CERAMIC MECHANISMS,
WHICH ARE QUIETER
AND, I THINK, MORE PRECISE,
ARE NOW COMING ONTO THE SCENE.
ANOTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT--
SOME MILLS ARE REPLACING
THE CLASSIC DRIVE SHAFT
WITH A MILL HOUSING
THAT ALLOWS THE ENTIRE CONTAINER
TO BE TURNED.
(blows)
NOW REGARDLESS OF THE MODEL,
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS
THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP IN MIND
WHEN MILL SHOPPING--
ONE, IT HAS GOT TO BE
EASY TO LOAD.
IF THE REFILL SLOT ISN'T
MUCH BIGGER THAN A PEPPERCORN,
IT'S USELESS.
YOU WANT A HIGH CAPACITY,
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE REFILLING IT EVERY WEEK.
THE GRIND HAS TO BE CONSISTENT.
IF UPON TESTING YOU NOTICE
THAT THERE ARE BIG OLD CHUNKIES
MIXED IN WITH, YOU KNOW,
PEPPER POWDER,
YOU NEED TO KEEP LOOKING.
ANOTHER THING YOU
MIGHT WANT TO LOOK FOR--
INDEXED GRIND SETTINGS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE,
THERE ARE PRESETTINGS
FOR EVERYTHING FROM VERY,
VERY FINE TO VERY, VERY COARSE.
THAT CAN BE NICE AND CONVENIENT.
NOW LET'S SEE,
WHAT I DID I LEAVE--
OH! ONE-HANDED ELECTRIC MILLS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY,
VERY GOOD CONCEPT,
BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT
EXECUTED PROPERLY.
OF COURSE, I AM WORKING
ON A LITTLE SOMETHING OF MY OWN.
(laughs maniacally)
TAKE THAT!
YEAH, BABY!
NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS
THINK OF--OF AN APPLICATION
THAT CALLS FOR THIS KIND
OF FIREPOWER.
OF COURSE, WHAT ABOUT CROCK-POT,
PEPPER POT PORK CHOPS?
YEAH. OF COURSE,
LIKE ALL PORK APPLICATIONS,
IT BEGINS WITH A BRINE.
STEP ONE--YOU WANT TO BRING
2 CUPS OF VEGETABLE BROTH
TO A BOIL, AND I DO THIS
IN MY ELECTRIC KETTLE,
'CAUSE IT'S NICE AND FAST
AND EASY, AND IT TURNS
ITSELF OFF WHEN IT GETS
TO A BOIL, WHICH I LIKE.
NOW TIME TO ADD
THE ACTUAL BRINING INGREDIENTS.
WE HAVE 2 TABLESPOONS
OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS
JUST SLIGHTLY CRUSHED,
1/2 CUP OF LIGHT BROWN SUGAR--
YOU COULD USE DARK
IF YOU WANTED TO...
I LIKE LIGHT FOR THIS--
AND 1/2 CUP OF KOSHER SALT.
THAT GIVES US EVERYTHING
WE REALLY NEED FOR THE BRINE,
SO STIR UNTIL YOU'RE CERTAIN
THAT EVERYTHING IS MELTED,
AND THEN ADD 1 POUND OF ICE.
THERE, THAT'LL
COOL THINGS DOWN NICELY,
'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY
WOULDN'T WANT TO ADD
MEAT TO A HOT BRINE.
THAT WOULD BE A BAD THING.
ONCE THAT IS COOLED DOWN,
WE BRING FORTH THE PORK.
WE'VE GOT FOUR INCH-AND-A-HALF-
THICK PORK CHOPS,
BONE IN, WHICH,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
IS THE ONLY WAY TO EAT THEM.
PLOP THAT BAG--THAT'S A FREEZER
BAG, BY THE WAY--
INTO SOME KIND
OF WATER-TIGHT RECEPTACLE,
AND GO AHEAD
AND POUR IN THE BRINE.
SOME OF THE ICE IS NOT GONNA BE
MELTED YET, AND THAT IS FINE.
SEAL IT UP
AND DEPOSIT
INTO YOUR REFRIGERATOR
FOR AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS.
OVERNIGHT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.
FOR AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS.
OVERNIGHT WO D BE EVEN BETTER.
¶
EIGHT HOURS IS PASSED,
SO WE RETRIEVE OUR PORK CHOPS.
ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY
THAT IT'S OVERNIGHT, BUT HEY,
I'M WEARIN' THE SAME SHIRT,
AND THAT'D BE KIND OF CREEPY.
FIRST THING WE'VE GOT TO DO
IS GET OFF THE EXCESS BRINE,
SO GIVE THEM A QUICK RINSE
IN COLD WATER.
AND I JUST DO THAT
OVER A COOLING RACK,
AND THEN SWAB THEN DOWN
WITH PAPER TOWELS
SO THE SURFACE IS
AS DRY AS POSSIBLE.
TRANSFER YOUR BONE-DRY CHOPS
TO A LIGHTLY-LUBED,
LARGE SAUTé PAN
OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
NOW A SLOW COOKER
WILL BE DOSING OUT
A MAJORITY OF THE HEAT
FOR THIS DISH,
BUT WE ALSO NEED
THE COMPLEX FLAVORS
THAT ONLY HIGH HEAT CAN DELIVER.
NOW CROWDING THE PAN IS A BAD
THING, AND I HAVE TO SAY
THAT IF THE FIT HERE
WAS ANY TIGHTER,
I WOULD HAVE TO WORK IN BATCHES,
BUT I THINK WE'RE OKAY.
IN FIVE OR SIX MINUTES, IF YOU
DON'T GO FIDDLING WITH THE FOOD,
WE WILL HAVE
A NICE, BROWN CRUST.
AND NOW WE FLIP,
WE REARRANGE,
AND WE COOK
ANOTHER FIVE TO SIX MINUTES.
OKAY, EVERYBODY OUT OF THE POOL
AND BACK ONTO THE RACK!
THERE.
WE'RE GONNA ADD
JUST A TOUCH MORE OIL
AND THEN INTRODUCE
ONE LARGE JULIENNED ONION.
THAT'S AN ONION THAT'S BEEN CUT
BOTH RADIALLY AND
LONGITUDINALLY.
IT'S A GOOD CUT TO LEARN.
SAUTé UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN
AND DELICIOUS--
THREE TO FOUR MINUTES.
WHILE THAT IS COOKING, DROP
3 OUNCES OF DRIED APPLE SLICES
INTO THE BOTTOM
OF A LARGE SLOW COOKER.
NOW YOU COULD USE
A DUTCH OVEN FOR THIS,
BUT I REALLY DO THINK
THAT AN ELECTRIC SLOW COOKER
IS THE PERFECT DEVICE.
AND JUST PILE ON THE PORK
CHOPS, SLAP ON THE COVER,
AND COOK ON HIGH FOR ONE HOUR
AND THIRTY MINUTES.
THEN WE STIR IN SPICES--
1 TABLESPOON OF COARSELY GROUND
BLACK PEPPER
AND 1 TEASPOON OF DRIED THYME.
THERE.
FINALLY, WE DEGLAZE
WITH 1 1/2 CUPS
OF CHICKEN BROTH OR STOCK.
BE SURE TO SCRUB AROUND
IN THE PAN
TO LOOSEN ALL THAT GOODNESS
ON THE BOTTOM. THERE.
NOW WE MOVE THAT DIRECTLY
INTO THE CROCK-POT
WHERE THE COOKING IS
ALREADY IN PROGRESS.
TIME'S UP,
BUT THE COOKING IS NOT.
GONNA GO FOR LOW HEAT
AND COOK FOR ANOTHER FOUR HOURS
AND THIRTY MINUTES.
YOUR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED,
OF COURSE.
SLOW COOKER
PEPPER POT PORK CHOPS.
THE PEPPERS SING AND LEAD,
AND THE TUNE IS SWEET--
NOT HARSH OR OVERBEARING.
MM, THIS APPLICATION
ALSO WORKS EQUALLY WELL
WITH BEEF,
SPARERIBS AND LAMB SHANKS. MM.
OH, YEAH, I SEE IT.
HOW'D YOU GET
A YARD DART UP THERE? THAT'S--
OH, HI.
MY FAVORITE FACIAL FEATURE
HAS DROPPED BY TO POINT OUT
THE FACT THAT A GREAT DEAL
OF THE PLEASURE THAT WE EXTRACT
FROM BLACK PEPPER IS, INDEED,
SENSED BY THE SCHNOZ.
ALL OF THAT AROMA
MEANS VOLATILE CHEMICALS
THAT ARE MOSTLY CARRIED BY
THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF THE PLANT.
NOW A GREAT MANY PLANTS
HAVE ESSENTIAL OILS,
AND THEY CAN BE EXTRACTED
EITHER BY BEING DISTILLED
OR BEING COLD-PRESSED
OUT OF THE SEED ITSELF.
MOST OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS
E THERT ARE USED FOR THINGS
LIKE AROMATHERAPY AND MASSAGE
AND STUFF LIKE THAT,
BUT A FEW OF THEM ACTUALLY
DO HAVE CULINARY PURPOSES,
AND BLACK PEPPER IS ONE OF THEM.
NOW THE REAL POWER HERE IS THAT
YOU CAN USE THIS IN A DISH
(sniffing)
WHERE YOU WOULDN'T REALLY WANT
LITTLE BITS AND PIECES OF PEPPER
LIKE, FOR INSTANCE,
I DON'T KNOW, SORBET.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, ISN'T IT?
I CAN'T THINK OF ANY FRUIT
THAT IS BETTER MATCHED
WITH PEPPER THAN MANGO,
'CAUSE IT'S GOT THAT KIND
OF TURPENTINEY THING GOING.
SO FOUR LARGE MANGOES,
ABOUT 2 1/2 TO 3 POUNDS,
GETS PURéED
IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR.
NOW 12 OUNCES
BY WEIGHT OF SUGAR,
1/4 CUP OF FRESH-SQUEEZED
LIME JUICE,
1/4 CUP OF OUR PEPPERED VODKA--
TOLD YOU IT WOULD
COME IN HANDY.
BESIDES SUPPORTING THE PEPPERY
GOODNESS OF THE SORBET,
THE ALCOHOL WILL HELP
TO KEEP THE TEXTURE FINE
BY MAINTAINING
SMALL ICE CRYSTALS.
NOW AS FOR THE OIL--
IT'S SO SMALL
I KEEP IT IN MY POCKET--
WE ONLY NEED
A LITTLE BITTY 1/4 TEASPOON.
THERE WE GO.
AND WE PROCESS AGAIN.
EVEN WHEN IT'S BEEN PURéED,
MANGO HAS A GOOD BIT
OF FIBER IN IT,
SO YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO STRAIN
THAT EITHER THROUGH A--
JUST A FINE MESH STRAINER
OR A SIEVE OF SOME TYPE..
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME,
BUT BELIEVE ME,
THE FINAL TEXTURE
WILL BE WORTH IT.
ONCE STRAINED, YOU'RE GONNA
WANT TO REFRIGERATE THAT
FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS
BEFORE CHURNING.
FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS
BEFORE CHURNING.
¶
TIME TO CHURN.
I PREFER JUST TO USE
A STANDARD COUNTERTOP MODEL
WITH THE CORD
THAT IS FROZEN
IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT.
ALWAYS TURN THE MACHINE
ON BEFORE ADDING THE MIXTURE
BECAUSE IT CAN FREEZE
AGAINST THE SIDES SO QUICKLY
THAT IT CAN BIND UP
THE DASHER--
THAT'S THAT PLASTIC THING.
NOW ONCE YOUR ICE CREAM
IS CHURNED--
AND IT WILL TAKE
A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT--
WE'RE READY TO GET THAT
INTO THE FREEZER TO HARDEN.
FIRST WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN OFF
THIS BEATER.
IT'S HARD TO DO,
BUT IT'S WORTH--AAH!
THAT CHICKEN JUST MOVED!
(slurping)
NO? OH, MY MISTAKE.
NOW LET'S GET THIS
INTO ANOTHER CONTAINER.
OH, I KNOW IT LOOKS DELICIOUS
NOW, BUT BELIEVE ME,
ONCE THIS HARDENS IN THE FREEZER
FOR A FEW HOURS,
IT'LL BE EVEN BETTER.
MM, YES, THIS REALLY DOES
TASTE AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS.
HEY, I CAN UNDERSTAND IF SOME
OF YOU ARE A LITTLE LEERY
ABOUT PEPPER FRONT AND CENTER
IN A FROZEN DESSERT.
YOU WANT SOMETHING
A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR? FINE.
YOU KNOW, THE FLAVORS IN PEPPER
COME MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF OILS.
OILS LOVE GETTING TOGETHER
WITH OTHER FORMS OF FAT,
SUCH AS THOSE
FOUND IN EGG YOLKS.
WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD USE
TO MAKE THE DEVILED EGGS.
THE TERM OF DEVILING EGGS COMES
FROM 18th-CENTURY ENGLAND,
WHERE THE WORD DEVILED
REALLY MEANT
ANYTHING THAT WAS STUFFED
WITH A SPICY FILLING.
WE, OF COURSE,
WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF SIX HARD-COOKED EGGS,
PLUS YOU NEED SOME PEPPERS--
HALF A TEASPOON EACH OF GREEN
PEPPERCORNS, WHITE PEPPERCORNS,
PINK PEPPERCORNS
AND BLACK PEPPERCORNS,
ALL IN THEIR DRY STATE.
NOW I KEEP
A COFFEE GRINDER AROUND
JUST FOR GRINDING SPICES,
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A GOOD
TOOL FOR THIS APPLICATION.
THERE--NICE, FINE...
NOW HERE WE HAVE THE YOLKS,
THE SIX EGG YOLKS.
TO THAT, WE WILL ADD
THE PEPPER MIX
AND SOME SALT TO THE TUNE
OF 1/4 TEASPOON,
JUST A LITTLE PINCH OF WHITE
SUGAR, JUST A LITTLE BIT,
AND 1/2 TEASPOON OF THE LIQUID
FROM A BOTTLE
OF BRINED GREEN PEPPERCORNS,
OR CAPERS WOULD BE FINE, ALSO,
1/4 CUP OF MAYONNAISE--
MAKES EVERYTHING GOOD,
DON'T YOU KNOW--
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
1 TEASPOON OF MUSTARD--
DIJON, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
JUST GONNA EYEBALL THIS. THERE.
NOW JUST USE A FORK
AND MASH IT UP.
YOU WANT IT PIPABLE,
BUT WE DON'T WANT IT
TO BE TOO SMOOTH,
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS
IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
I HAVE PUT
THAT INTO A ZIP-TOP BAG
FITTED WITH A LITTLE
STAR PIPING TIP,
AND JUST SLOWLY SQUEEZE
INTO THE EGGS. THERE.
TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS,
OR THE BAG WILL BUST.
PERFECT.
SPRINKLE ON A LITTLE FRESHLY
CRUSHED PINK PEPPERCORN
AND REFRIGERATE
AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING.
YOU DO RECALL
PINK PEPPERCORNS
AREN'T REALLY
PEPPERCORNS AT ALL.
(mocking British accent)
YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT
PERFECTLY CLEAR.
(normal voice)
BUT, GOSH DARN IT,
THEY TASTE PEPPERY...
MM, THEY DO.
AND THEY'RE PRETTY.
HEY, HOW HAVE
THINGS BEEN GOING?
OH, I'M GETTING BETTER
ALL THE TIME.
I'VE BEEN PROMOTED.
REALLY?
MM-HMM.
EXCELLENT.
WELL, I HOPE THE LAST HALF-HOUR
HAS CONVINCED YOU
TO GIVE PEPPER
A PROMOTION IN YOUR KITCHEN.
SURE, A GRIND OR TWO
CAN ELEVATE
A CAESAR SALAD
OR A BOWL OF BREAKFAST CEREAL,
BUT TO RELEGATE PEPPER
TO A SUPPORTING FLAVOR
IS TO DENY IT
ITS PROPER PLACE--
ON THE THRONE
OF THE KING OF SPICES.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "GOOD EATS."
YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER
NAMED LUCY, DON'T YOU?
I DO, INDEED.
LET US, FOR A BRIEF MOMENT,
CONTEMPLATE THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN TABLE SETTING.
DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING ODD?
HERE, LET ME HELP YOU.
HOW ABOUT NOW?
WELL, OF COURSE YOU DON'T
BECAUSE SALT AND PEPPER
HAVE ALWAYS STOOD TOGETHER
EVER SINCE, WELL, A LONG TIME.
BUT HOW DID THE KING OF SPICES
COME TO PLAY A PRE-GROUND
TONTO TO SALT'S LONE RANGER?
I SUSPECT THAT FOOD PROCESSORS,
DURING
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION,
CASHED IN ON PEPPER'S FORMER
CACHE BY PRE-GRINDING IT
AND THEN MIXING IT UP WITH COAL
DUST AND PENCIL SHAVINGS,
THUS INCREASING THEIR PROFITS
AND LOWERING
THE FLAVOR EXPECTATIONS
OF GENERATIONS OF COOKS.
WELL, I'M HERE TO SAY
IT'S GONNA STOP.
IF YOU'VE GOT
A PEPPER SHAKER ON YOUR TABLE,
I WANT YOU TO PICK IT UP. I WANT
YOU TO GO OVER TO THE WINDOW,
OPEN THE WINDOW AND YELL,
"I'M MAD AS--"
ON SECOND THOUGHT,
MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE IT
INTO A CINNAMON SHAKER
FOR YOUR CAPPUCCINO,
BUT AS FOR PEPPER, FROM NOW ON,
IT WILL REIGN AGAIN
AS THE KING OF SPICES.
AT LEAST IT WILL HERE ON...
¶
Captioning provided by
Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
¶
THE STORY OF PEPPER
STARTS ABOUT 1000 B.C.
WHEN PIPER NIGRUM HARVESTED
ON THE MALABAR COAST
IS MOVED INTO EUROPE
BY ARAB TRADERS
TO MAINTAIN THEIR MONOPOLY
ON THE SPICE
BY MAKING UP CRAZY STORIES
AS TO ITS ORIGIN.
SO WHERE'S THIS PEPPER STUFF
COME FROM, ANYWAY?
WELL, AFRICAN SWALLOWS
CARRY THE SEEDS TO THE TOP
OF RUSSIAN MOUNTAINS WHERE
THEY'RE CONSUMED BY DRAGONS--
YEAH--WHO SNEEZE THEM OUT
IN GREAT BILLOWS OF FIRE.
THEN SPECIALLY TRAINED MONKEYS
RUN INTO THE CAVES
AND PICK THEM UP
WHILE THE DRAGON SLEEPS.
ARE YOU SURE?
YEP, PRETTY SURE.
(bird chirping)
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
TRUE PEPPERCORNS
ARE THE FRUITS
OF A TROPICAL VINE--
A PIPER NIGRUM--
COMMONLY FOUND CLIMBING UP
PALMS AND EUCALYPTUS TREES
AND OFTEN
EVEN MAN-MADE TRELLISES.
NOW THE FRUITS THEMSELVES ARE
PACKED INTO DENSE LITTLE SPIKES
CONTAINING 50 OR MORE BERRIES
THAT START OUT GREEN
BEFORE EVENTUALLY TURNING YELLOW
AND THEN RED AS THEY MATURE.
NOW I'M SURE THAT IF WE
REALLY LOOK HARD AROUND HERE,
WE WILL EVENTUALLY SEE--
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
(Indian music playing)
HELLO.
(British accent)
OH, GOOD MORNING!
WHAT ARE YOU DOIN'?
WHY, I'M TAKING THESE PEPPERS
TO HARVEST, OF COURSE.
NAME'S PEPPER.
YEAH, MILITARY?
YES, QUITE.
SERGEANT, ACTUALLY.
SERGEANT PEPPER.
MM-HMM.
TELL ME, DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT YOUR NAMESAKE SPICE HERE?
WELL, I SHOULD SAY SO!
MY PARTNER MR. KITE AND I
ARE IN THE PEPPER BIZ.
FASCINATING SPICE, REALLY.
YES, YOU KNOW THAT THE BERRIES
CAN RENDER MULTIPLE PRODUCTS
DEPENDING ON HOW
THEY'RE TREATED, YES.
REALLY.
IF YOU PICK THE PEPPER
PRIOR TO MATURITY,
THEN FERMENT AND DRY IT,
YOU HAVE THE BLACK PEPPERCORN...
GRACIOUS.
WHICH IS GRADED
GEOGRAPHICALLY.
OH, SO THEY'RE
KIND OF LIKE COFFEE BEANS.
EXACTLY! GOOD SHOW, YES.
MALABAR AND TELLICHERRY
PEPPERCORNS FROM INDIA--
QUITE WELL-KNOWN,
AND THE SARAWAK FROM MALAYSIA,
THAT'S A GOOD ONE,
OH, AND LAMPONG
FROM INDONESIA--
WELL, TELL ME SOMETHING,
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HARVEST THEM
WHEN THEY'RE
COMPLETELY RIPE?
OH, WELL, IF YOU
REMOVE THE SKIN,
THEN YOU'RE LEFT WITH THE LONELY
HEART OF THE FRUIT KNOWN AS--
OH, OH,
I KNOW THIS ONE!
RIGHT THERE!
WHITE PEPPERCORNS!
YES! VERY GOOD!
HIGH MARKS FOR YOU.
THE WHITE PEPPERCORN. IT'S NOT
AS FRAGRANT OR AS FLAVORFUL
AS ITS
FULLY-DRESSED COUSINS.
UH-HUH.
HOWEVER, ITS
PALE COUNTENANCE
IS A QUITE GOOD COMPLEMENT
TO A LIGHT-COLORED DISH.
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT--
WHAT ABOUT THESE GUYS?
WHAT ABOUT GREEN PEPPERCORN?
WELL, GREEN PEPPERCORNS
ARE JUST LIKE BLACK PEPPERCORNS,
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE PICKLED
IN A BRINE BEFORE THEY ARE
BOTTLED OR DRIED.
NOW THEY'RE NOT AS FRAGRANT AS
THE WHITE OR BLACK PEPPERCORN,
I SHOULD SAY, AND THEN
WE HAVE THE PINK PEPPERCORNS.
WAIT A SECOND.
I READ ABOUT THOSE.
THOSE AREN'T REALLY
PIPER NIGRUM AT ALL.
THOSE ARE JUST BERRIES
FROM A--
FROM A SOUTH AMERICAN PLANT
CALLED...
YES, YES INDEED.
SCHINUS TEREBINTHIFOLIUS.
SCHINUS--
THAT ONE. THAT ONE.
MM-HMM.
SO THEY'RE NOT REAL
AT ALL.
WELL, UGH. I CAN'T PULL
ANYTHING OVER ON YOU, SIR.
YOU--YOU'VE GOT ME
AT A DISADVANTAGE.
LOOK HERE, TRY THIS.
(laughs evilly)
BUT YOU JUST TOLD ME--
WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT, EH?
THAT'S CALLED
THE SICHUAN PEPPERCORN.
NOW NOT A PEPPER PROPER,
IT IS ACTUALLY THE DRIED BERRY
OF THE PRICKLY ASH
ZANTHOXYLUM SIMULANS.
IT HAS PEPPERY
CITRUS SMELL
AND THE TASTE IS RATHER TANGY,
ISN'T IT? RATHER, ISN'T IT?
(funny voice)
MY TONGUE IS NUMB.
YOUR TONGUE IS NUMB, ISN'T IT?
YOU CAN'T CORRECT ME ANYMORE.
BUT I CAN'T
SAY ANYTHING!
OH, NO-NO! DON'T WORRY,
GOOD SIR. DON'T WORRY. NO.
THAT NUMBING SENSATION
THAT YOU'RE FEELING IS ACTUALLY
CAUSED BY
HYDROXY-ALPHA-SANSHOOL,
WHICH IS ALL THE CURRENT RAGE
AMONGST THE ANESTHESIOLOGY
RESEARCH SET HERE.
(normal voice) REALLY.
WELL, NOT TO COOKS.
MM-HMM. OH.
LOOK, I'VE GOT TO GO PUT
SOME MONEY IN THE METER.
DO YOU THINK
IT'LL TAKE PEPPERCORNS?
PEPPERCORNS?
IN THE METER?
UH-HUH.
WELL, NOT IF RITA'S WORKING.
SHE'S QUITE A STICKLER, YES.
BUT YOU KNOW HER SISTERS.
NOW THAT'S ANOTHER STORY, YES.
AH, KNOW
HER SISTERS, YES.
ONE IS QUITE A LOVELY LADY--
WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU
ABOUT MY EXPLOITS, YES.
NOW UPON EXAMINING
THE BLACK PEPPERCORN,
YOU WILL, NO DOUBT,
NOTICE THAT THERE'S A--
WELL, YOU CAN SEE THE--
OH, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.
WHAT WE NEED IS
A REALLY BIG PEPPERCORN.
(crash landing)
YEAH, LIKE THAT!
NOW WHEN THE--THE PEPPER FRUIT
IS ALLOWED TO FERMENT
AND IS THEN DRIED,
THE OUTER SKIN WRINKLES,
OXIDIZES AND TURNS BLACK.
THAT IS A SIGN THAT IT
HAS CAPTURED A WIDE RANGE
OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS CALLED
TERPENES,
AND THEY KIND OF GIVE
THE OVERALL SPICE A--
KIND OF A WOODSY, CITRUSY,
COLOGNE-Y KIND OF THING.
NOW IF WE BREACH THE-THE FRUIT
BY EITHER CRACKING IT
OR GRINDING IT...
(grunt)
WOW.
WE RELEASE A VOLATILE OIL
CALLED PIPERINE IN THE PROCESS.
NOW WHEN COMBINED,
THE PIPERINE AND THE--
AND THE VARIOUS TERPENES
ON THE SURFACE
COME TOGETHER TO GIVE PEPPER
ITS PLEASANTLY PUNGENT FLAVOR.
NOW PIPERINE IS A MEMBER
OF THE VANILLOID FAMILY,
BUT UNLIKE ITS FIERY
CHILI PEPPER COUSIN CAPSAICIN,
PIPERINE LEAVES ONLY A FAINT
AFTERTASTE ON THE TONGUE.
IT DOES, HOWEVER,
STIMULATE TASTE BUDS,
INCREASING THE FLOW OF SALIVA
AND GASTRIC JUICES.
THUS, IT IMPROVES DIGESTION.
FORTUNATELY FOR THE COOK,
THE ESSENTIAL OILS INVOLVED HERE
ARE NOT ONLY TASTY AND AROMATIC,
THEY ARE SOLUBLE
IN MANY DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES,
WHICH IS JUST
ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING
THEY'RE GOOD
AT FLAVORING THINGS.
THEY'RE GOOD
AT FLAVORING THINGS.
¶
SICK AND TIRED OF BUYING
OVERPRICED PEPPERCORNS
FROM THE VENETIAN CARTEL,
THE PORTUGUESE CROWN
SENDS VASCO da GAMA TO FIND
A SEA ROUTE TO INDIA IN 1494.
NOW, EVENTUALLY, HE
WORKS HIS WAY AROUND THE CAPE
AND INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN,
AND WITHIN A DECADE,
THE PORTUGUESE WERE
THE NEW KINGS OF SPICE.
LATER THE DUTCH AND THE ENGLISH
WOULD OVERTUMOHAT TNOPOLY.
NOW BY THE END
OF THE 18th CENTURY,
MOST EUROPEAN PEPPER WAS RUN
THROUGH SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS,
WHOSE SPEEDY CLIPPER SHIPS
MADE THOUSANDS OF RUNS
TO PEPPER PORTS
ALONG THE ISLAND OF SUMATRA,
MAKING PEPPER
AFFORDABLE TO ALL.
I THINK THAT IT COULD BE ARGUED
THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRENDS
IN ALCOHOL IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
HAS BEEN THE TREND
TOWARDS FLAVORED SPIRITS,
AND ONE OF THE SPIRITS
MOST OFTEN FLAVORED
IS, OF COURSE, VODKA.
NOW THIS IS A LUCKY THING
IF YOU LIKE PEPPER VODKA,
BECAUSE PEPPER, BLACK PEPPER,
IS FULL OF ALCOHOL-SOLUBLE
FLAVORANT.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY YOURSELF
A BOTTLE OF PEPPER VODKA,
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN.
AND VODKA IS REALLY PERFECT
FOR THIS KIND OF TREATMENT,
'CAUSE, LET'S FACE IT,
IT DOESN'T HAVE
MUCH FLAVOR OF ITS OWN.
WE WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF 2 TABLESPOONS
OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS.
AS IS TRUE OF ANY SPICE,
PUNGENCY IS PROTECTED
BY PURCHASING WHOLE PEPPERCORNS,
WHICH WE WILL BREACH
ONLY AT THE LAST MINUTE
BEFORE USE.
NOW, SPEAKING OF BREACHING,
WE JUST WANT
CRACKED PEPPERCORNS HERE,
SO WE WILL EMPLOY
A MORTAR AND PESTLE THUSLY.
YEAH, THIS'LL BE DONE
IN NO TIME.
THIS'LL JUST--
THIS IS--
THIS IS GONNA TAKE FOREVER.
WELL, WE NEED SOME PERCUSSION.
WE NEED A--
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT
I'M TALKIN' ABOUT.
NOW I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS WHAT
I WOULD CALL PLEASANTLY CRACKED,
AND AS FOR THE AROMA--
OH, YOU CAN'T SMELL THAT,
CAN YOU? I'M SORRY.
GRAB YOURSELF A FUNNEL,
APPROACH YOUR 750 MILLILITER
BOTTLE OF VODKA,
AND APPLY THE FRUIT THUSLY.
THERE.
SOME OF IT'S GONNA SINK.
SOME OF IT'S GONNA FLOAT.
THAT'S FINE.
GIVE IT A GOOD SHAKE, AND THEN
GIVE IT A SHAKE ONCE A DAY
EVERY OTHER DAY FOR SEVEN DAYS,
IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND YOU WILL HAVE YOURSELF
A PERFECTLY DECENT BOTTLE OF...
PEPPERED VODKA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD A LOT
OF INFUSION FROM THE BERRIES
UP INTO THE ALCOHOL,
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
IT ALL HAPPENED
IN JUST SEVEN DAYS.
OH, WELL, IT'S
MY FAVORITE SHIRT. I'LL WASH IT.
ANYWAY, TIME TO STRAIN.
AND I'VE JUST GOT
A WIRE MESH STRAINER
WITH A PIECE OF CHEESE CLOTH
SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
BE SURE TO GIVE THE BOTTLE
A GOOD SHAKE
TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING
IS LOOSE AND NOTHING STICKS,
AND INTO THE STRAINER IT GOES.
THERE WE GO.
NOW OUR NICE, SHINY, CLEAN VODKA
GOES RIGHT BACK IN THE BOTTLE.
PEPPER VODKA OBVIOUSLY COULD BE
USED FOR MANY A COCKTAIL.
I HAVE TO SAY,
THE BLOODY MARY IS PROBABLY
ITS PEAK APPLICATION.
ALTHOUGH I SUSPECT
THAT A CONTROLLED
SONIC PULSE SYSTEM
IS THE KEY
TO PERFECT PEPPER GRINDING,
ALMOST EVERY PEPPERMILL
CURRENTLY ON THE PLANET
IS BASED UPON A DESIGN
INTRODUCED IN 1874
BY JEAN-PIERRE
AND JEAN-FREDERIC PEUGEOT,
WHO, AT THE TIME,
WERE BEST KNOWN
FOR MANUFACTURING HANDSAWS,
OF ALL THINGS.
NOW THEIR DESIGN
FEATURED A WOODEN TUBE,
WHICH FED THE PEPPER
INTO A ROTARY MILL
COMPOSED OF A GROOVED MALE HEAD
AND A GROOVED FEMALE RING.
ALTHOUGH STEEL HAS LONG BEEN
THE NORM, CERAMIC MECHANISMS,
WHICH ARE QUIETER
AND, I THINK, MORE PRECISE,
ARE NOW COMING ONTO THE SCENE.
ANOTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT--
SOME MILLS ARE REPLACING
THE CLASSIC DRIVE SHAFT
WITH A MILL HOUSING
THAT ALLOWS THE ENTIRE CONTAINER
TO BE TURNED.
(blows)
NOW REGARDLESS OF THE MODEL,
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS
THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP IN MIND
WHEN MILL SHOPPING--
ONE, IT HAS GOT TO BE
EASY TO LOAD.
IF THE REFILL SLOT ISN'T
MUCH BIGGER THAN A PEPPERCORN,
IT'S USELESS.
YOU WANT A HIGH CAPACITY,
BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE REFILLING IT EVERY WEEK.
THE GRIND HAS TO BE CONSISTENT.
IF UPON TESTING YOU NOTICE
THAT THERE ARE BIG OLD CHUNKIES
MIXED IN WITH, YOU KNOW,
PEPPER POWDER,
YOU NEED TO KEEP LOOKING.
ANOTHER THING YOU
MIGHT WANT TO LOOK FOR--
INDEXED GRIND SETTINGS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE,
THERE ARE PRESETTINGS
FOR EVERYTHING FROM VERY,
VERY FINE TO VERY, VERY COARSE.
THAT CAN BE NICE AND CONVENIENT.
NOW LET'S SEE,
WHAT I DID I LEAVE--
OH! ONE-HANDED ELECTRIC MILLS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY,
VERY GOOD CONCEPT,
BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT
EXECUTED PROPERLY.
OF COURSE, I AM WORKING
ON A LITTLE SOMETHING OF MY OWN.
(laughs maniacally)
TAKE THAT!
YEAH, BABY!
NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS
THINK OF--OF AN APPLICATION
THAT CALLS FOR THIS KIND
OF FIREPOWER.
OF COURSE, WHAT ABOUT CROCK-POT,
PEPPER POT PORK CHOPS?
YEAH. OF COURSE,
LIKE ALL PORK APPLICATIONS,
IT BEGINS WITH A BRINE.
STEP ONE--YOU WANT TO BRING
2 CUPS OF VEGETABLE BROTH
TO A BOIL, AND I DO THIS
IN MY ELECTRIC KETTLE,
'CAUSE IT'S NICE AND FAST
AND EASY, AND IT TURNS
ITSELF OFF WHEN IT GETS
TO A BOIL, WHICH I LIKE.
NOW TIME TO ADD
THE ACTUAL BRINING INGREDIENTS.
WE HAVE 2 TABLESPOONS
OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS
JUST SLIGHTLY CRUSHED,
1/2 CUP OF LIGHT BROWN SUGAR--
YOU COULD USE DARK
IF YOU WANTED TO...
I LIKE LIGHT FOR THIS--
AND 1/2 CUP OF KOSHER SALT.
THAT GIVES US EVERYTHING
WE REALLY NEED FOR THE BRINE,
SO STIR UNTIL YOU'RE CERTAIN
THAT EVERYTHING IS MELTED,
AND THEN ADD 1 POUND OF ICE.
THERE, THAT'LL
COOL THINGS DOWN NICELY,
'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY
WOULDN'T WANT TO ADD
MEAT TO A HOT BRINE.
THAT WOULD BE A BAD THING.
ONCE THAT IS COOLED DOWN,
WE BRING FORTH THE PORK.
WE'VE GOT FOUR INCH-AND-A-HALF-
THICK PORK CHOPS,
BONE IN, WHICH,
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
IS THE ONLY WAY TO EAT THEM.
PLOP THAT BAG--THAT'S A FREEZER
BAG, BY THE WAY--
INTO SOME KIND
OF WATER-TIGHT RECEPTACLE,
AND GO AHEAD
AND POUR IN THE BRINE.
SOME OF THE ICE IS NOT GONNA BE
MELTED YET, AND THAT IS FINE.
SEAL IT UP
AND DEPOSIT
INTO YOUR REFRIGERATOR
FOR AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS.
OVERNIGHT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.
FOR AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS.
OVERNIGHT WO D BE EVEN BETTER.
¶
EIGHT HOURS IS PASSED,
SO WE RETRIEVE OUR PORK CHOPS.
ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY
THAT IT'S OVERNIGHT, BUT HEY,
I'M WEARIN' THE SAME SHIRT,
AND THAT'D BE KIND OF CREEPY.
FIRST THING WE'VE GOT TO DO
IS GET OFF THE EXCESS BRINE,
SO GIVE THEM A QUICK RINSE
IN COLD WATER.
AND I JUST DO THAT
OVER A COOLING RACK,
AND THEN SWAB THEN DOWN
WITH PAPER TOWELS
SO THE SURFACE IS
AS DRY AS POSSIBLE.
TRANSFER YOUR BONE-DRY CHOPS
TO A LIGHTLY-LUBED,
LARGE SAUTé PAN
OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
NOW A SLOW COOKER
WILL BE DOSING OUT
A MAJORITY OF THE HEAT
FOR THIS DISH,
BUT WE ALSO NEED
THE COMPLEX FLAVORS
THAT ONLY HIGH HEAT CAN DELIVER.
NOW CROWDING THE PAN IS A BAD
THING, AND I HAVE TO SAY
THAT IF THE FIT HERE
WAS ANY TIGHTER,
I WOULD HAVE TO WORK IN BATCHES,
BUT I THINK WE'RE OKAY.
IN FIVE OR SIX MINUTES, IF YOU
DON'T GO FIDDLING WITH THE FOOD,
WE WILL HAVE
A NICE, BROWN CRUST.
AND NOW WE FLIP,
WE REARRANGE,
AND WE COOK
ANOTHER FIVE TO SIX MINUTES.
OKAY, EVERYBODY OUT OF THE POOL
AND BACK ONTO THE RACK!
THERE.
WE'RE GONNA ADD
JUST A TOUCH MORE OIL
AND THEN INTRODUCE
ONE LARGE JULIENNED ONION.
THAT'S AN ONION THAT'S BEEN CUT
BOTH RADIALLY AND
LONGITUDINALLY.
IT'S A GOOD CUT TO LEARN.
SAUTé UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN
AND DELICIOUS--
THREE TO FOUR MINUTES.
WHILE THAT IS COOKING, DROP
3 OUNCES OF DRIED APPLE SLICES
INTO THE BOTTOM
OF A LARGE SLOW COOKER.
NOW YOU COULD USE
A DUTCH OVEN FOR THIS,
BUT I REALLY DO THINK
THAT AN ELECTRIC SLOW COOKER
IS THE PERFECT DEVICE.
AND JUST PILE ON THE PORK
CHOPS, SLAP ON THE COVER,
AND COOK ON HIGH FOR ONE HOUR
AND THIRTY MINUTES.
THEN WE STIR IN SPICES--
1 TABLESPOON OF COARSELY GROUND
BLACK PEPPER
AND 1 TEASPOON OF DRIED THYME.
THERE.
FINALLY, WE DEGLAZE
WITH 1 1/2 CUPS
OF CHICKEN BROTH OR STOCK.
BE SURE TO SCRUB AROUND
IN THE PAN
TO LOOSEN ALL THAT GOODNESS
ON THE BOTTOM. THERE.
NOW WE MOVE THAT DIRECTLY
INTO THE CROCK-POT
WHERE THE COOKING IS
ALREADY IN PROGRESS.
TIME'S UP,
BUT THE COOKING IS NOT.
GONNA GO FOR LOW HEAT
AND COOK FOR ANOTHER FOUR HOURS
AND THIRTY MINUTES.
YOUR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED,
OF COURSE.
SLOW COOKER
PEPPER POT PORK CHOPS.
THE PEPPERS SING AND LEAD,
AND THE TUNE IS SWEET--
NOT HARSH OR OVERBEARING.
MM, THIS APPLICATION
ALSO WORKS EQUALLY WELL
WITH BEEF,
SPARERIBS AND LAMB SHANKS. MM.
OH, YEAH, I SEE IT.
HOW'D YOU GET
A YARD DART UP THERE? THAT'S--
OH, HI.
MY FAVORITE FACIAL FEATURE
HAS DROPPED BY TO POINT OUT
THE FACT THAT A GREAT DEAL
OF THE PLEASURE THAT WE EXTRACT
FROM BLACK PEPPER IS, INDEED,
SENSED BY THE SCHNOZ.
ALL OF THAT AROMA
MEANS VOLATILE CHEMICALS
THAT ARE MOSTLY CARRIED BY
THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF THE PLANT.
NOW A GREAT MANY PLANTS
HAVE ESSENTIAL OILS,
AND THEY CAN BE EXTRACTED
EITHER BY BEING DISTILLED
OR BEING COLD-PRESSED
OUT OF THE SEED ITSELF.
MOST OF THE ESSENTIAL OILS
E THERT ARE USED FOR THINGS
LIKE AROMATHERAPY AND MASSAGE
AND STUFF LIKE THAT,
BUT A FEW OF THEM ACTUALLY
DO HAVE CULINARY PURPOSES,
AND BLACK PEPPER IS ONE OF THEM.
NOW THE REAL POWER HERE IS THAT
YOU CAN USE THIS IN A DISH
(sniffing)
WHERE YOU WOULDN'T REALLY WANT
LITTLE BITS AND PIECES OF PEPPER
LIKE, FOR INSTANCE,
I DON'T KNOW, SORBET.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, ISN'T IT?
I CAN'T THINK OF ANY FRUIT
THAT IS BETTER MATCHED
WITH PEPPER THAN MANGO,
'CAUSE IT'S GOT THAT KIND
OF TURPENTINEY THING GOING.
SO FOUR LARGE MANGOES,
ABOUT 2 1/2 TO 3 POUNDS,
GETS PURéED
IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR.
NOW 12 OUNCES
BY WEIGHT OF SUGAR,
1/4 CUP OF FRESH-SQUEEZED
LIME JUICE,
1/4 CUP OF OUR PEPPERED VODKA--
TOLD YOU IT WOULD
COME IN HANDY.
BESIDES SUPPORTING THE PEPPERY
GOODNESS OF THE SORBET,
THE ALCOHOL WILL HELP
TO KEEP THE TEXTURE FINE
BY MAINTAINING
SMALL ICE CRYSTALS.
NOW AS FOR THE OIL--
IT'S SO SMALL
I KEEP IT IN MY POCKET--
WE ONLY NEED
A LITTLE BITTY 1/4 TEASPOON.
THERE WE GO.
AND WE PROCESS AGAIN.
EVEN WHEN IT'S BEEN PURéED,
MANGO HAS A GOOD BIT
OF FIBER IN IT,
SO YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO STRAIN
THAT EITHER THROUGH A--
JUST A FINE MESH STRAINER
OR A SIEVE OF SOME TYPE..
IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME,
BUT BELIEVE ME,
THE FINAL TEXTURE
WILL BE WORTH IT.
ONCE STRAINED, YOU'RE GONNA
WANT TO REFRIGERATE THAT
FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS
BEFORE CHURNING.
FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS
BEFORE CHURNING.
¶
TIME TO CHURN.
I PREFER JUST TO USE
A STANDARD COUNTERTOP MODEL
WITH THE CORD
THAT IS FROZEN
IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT.
ALWAYS TURN THE MACHINE
ON BEFORE ADDING THE MIXTURE
BECAUSE IT CAN FREEZE
AGAINST THE SIDES SO QUICKLY
THAT IT CAN BIND UP
THE DASHER--
THAT'S THAT PLASTIC THING.
NOW ONCE YOUR ICE CREAM
IS CHURNED--
AND IT WILL TAKE
A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT--
WE'RE READY TO GET THAT
INTO THE FREEZER TO HARDEN.
FIRST WE'VE GOT TO CLEAN OFF
THIS BEATER.
IT'S HARD TO DO,
BUT IT'S WORTH--AAH!
THAT CHICKEN JUST MOVED!
(slurping)
NO? OH, MY MISTAKE.
NOW LET'S GET THIS
INTO ANOTHER CONTAINER.
OH, I KNOW IT LOOKS DELICIOUS
NOW, BUT BELIEVE ME,
ONCE THIS HARDENS IN THE FREEZER
FOR A FEW HOURS,
IT'LL BE EVEN BETTER.
MM, YES, THIS REALLY DOES
TASTE AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS.
HEY, I CAN UNDERSTAND IF SOME
OF YOU ARE A LITTLE LEERY
ABOUT PEPPER FRONT AND CENTER
IN A FROZEN DESSERT.
YOU WANT SOMETHING
A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR? FINE.
YOU KNOW, THE FLAVORS IN PEPPER
COME MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF OILS.
OILS LOVE GETTING TOGETHER
WITH OTHER FORMS OF FAT,
SUCH AS THOSE
FOUND IN EGG YOLKS.
WHICH, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD USE
TO MAKE THE DEVILED EGGS.
THE TERM OF DEVILING EGGS COMES
FROM 18th-CENTURY ENGLAND,
WHERE THE WORD DEVILED
REALLY MEANT
ANYTHING THAT WAS STUFFED
WITH A SPICY FILLING.
WE, OF COURSE,
WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF SIX HARD-COOKED EGGS,
PLUS YOU NEED SOME PEPPERS--
HALF A TEASPOON EACH OF GREEN
PEPPERCORNS, WHITE PEPPERCORNS,
PINK PEPPERCORNS
AND BLACK PEPPERCORNS,
ALL IN THEIR DRY STATE.
NOW I KEEP
A COFFEE GRINDER AROUND
JUST FOR GRINDING SPICES,
AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A GOOD
TOOL FOR THIS APPLICATION.
THERE--NICE, FINE...
NOW HERE WE HAVE THE YOLKS,
THE SIX EGG YOLKS.
TO THAT, WE WILL ADD
THE PEPPER MIX
AND SOME SALT TO THE TUNE
OF 1/4 TEASPOON,
JUST A LITTLE PINCH OF WHITE
SUGAR, JUST A LITTLE BIT,
AND 1/2 TEASPOON OF THE LIQUID
FROM A BOTTLE
OF BRINED GREEN PEPPERCORNS,
OR CAPERS WOULD BE FINE, ALSO,
1/4 CUP OF MAYONNAISE--
MAKES EVERYTHING GOOD,
DON'T YOU KNOW--
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
1 TEASPOON OF MUSTARD--
DIJON, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
JUST GONNA EYEBALL THIS. THERE.
NOW JUST USE A FORK
AND MASH IT UP.
YOU WANT IT PIPABLE,
BUT WE DON'T WANT IT
TO BE TOO SMOOTH,
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS
IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
I HAVE PUT
THAT INTO A ZIP-TOP BAG
FITTED WITH A LITTLE
STAR PIPING TIP,
AND JUST SLOWLY SQUEEZE
INTO THE EGGS. THERE.
TAKE YOUR TIME WITH THIS,
OR THE BAG WILL BUST.
PERFECT.
SPRINKLE ON A LITTLE FRESHLY
CRUSHED PINK PEPPERCORN
AND REFRIGERATE
AN HOUR BEFORE SERVING.
YOU DO RECALL
PINK PEPPERCORNS
AREN'T REALLY
PEPPERCORNS AT ALL.
(mocking British accent)
YES, I DO REMEMBER THAT
PERFECTLY CLEAR.
(normal voice)
BUT, GOSH DARN IT,
THEY TASTE PEPPERY...
MM, THEY DO.
AND THEY'RE PRETTY.
HEY, HOW HAVE
THINGS BEEN GOING?
OH, I'M GETTING BETTER
ALL THE TIME.
I'VE BEEN PROMOTED.
REALLY?
MM-HMM.
EXCELLENT.
WELL, I HOPE THE LAST HALF-HOUR
HAS CONVINCED YOU
TO GIVE PEPPER
A PROMOTION IN YOUR KITCHEN.
SURE, A GRIND OR TWO
CAN ELEVATE
A CAESAR SALAD
OR A BOWL OF BREAKFAST CEREAL,
BUT TO RELEGATE PEPPER
TO A SUPPORTING FLAVOR
IS TO DENY IT
ITS PROPER PLACE--
ON THE THRONE
OF THE KING OF SPICES.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "GOOD EATS."
YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER
NAMED LUCY, DON'T YOU?
I DO, INDEED.