Pepper consists of the corns or fruit of the pepper-tree, Piper nigrum. While fresh the corns are red, but become black on drying. When they are decorticated they are termed white pei?per. This latter kind is preferable for use in cases in which the black particles of the peel would pro- duce an unpleasant impression upon the eye, e.g., in light- coloured or white dishes, on etiolised herbs, yellow salads, etc. The coarsely-pounded white pepper for use in salads, particularly white endive, is in the French kitchen termed concass6. Pepper yields a tincture, i.e,, a solution in spirit of wine, which contains all its active ingredients. Cayenne pepper, the fruit capsules of Capsicum haccahim annuum, long or red pepper. The solanaceous plant was known to the Eomans, and is grown all over the world. The powdered berry is a very powerful, fiery spice, and requires to be used with great discretion. But when so used it imparts to viands suitable for its application a flavour and warmth which is agreeable to the palate and beneficial to the digestive organs. Its tincture is particularly useful, as it distributes tbe taste and flavour equally throughout the substance of the viands, e.g., aspics. The essential parts are also soluble in vinegar ; but this is used much less than vinegar impregnated with the extract of chilis. Chili, or chilli, fruit - capsules of Capsicum haccatum frutescens, L., is grown in both Indies, and sold dried or preserved in vinegar. Placed in substance upon the tongue, it has an indescribably terrible effect, comparable to a mix- PEPPERY SUBSTANCES 93 ture of the effects of fire or heat, pain, and undefinahle dis- tress, which lasts for hours, and even days. Its active extract must, therefore, be always greatly diluted by cooks, for it is very bad form to cause surprises to guests by putting before them dishes containing excess of these spices. Allspice, Jamaica pepper, French Piment de la Jamaique, consists of the berries of Myrtus pimenta, L. Its taste and smell is much hke that of a mixture of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper, but less energetic. It might, perhaps, be placed in the following third group, to which it forms, at all events, a transition. It is little used in cookery in this country, but enters largely into the adulterated spice powders sold to the public. The French term all the capsicums as well as allspice piment, and distinguish them from each other by adjectives or places of origin ; thus, the small chili to them is piment enragi ; as thrushes, ruffs and reeves, and Other birds can eat and digest this berry in quantities, it is also called pmewi des oiseaux. There is here an immunity resembling that of rabbits to the effect of foxglove or digitalis. The bush pro- ducing the Jamaica piment is by the French called hois d'Inde ; its ripe berries are violet, juicy, sweet, and highly perfumed, but very hot to the taste. They are eaten in great quantities by wood-pigeons, thrushes, and blackbirds, and other birds, which thereby acquire an exquisite flavour and become very fat. For the production of allspice the berries are collected in a somewhat under-ripe state, and dried in the sun.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Pepper consists of the corns or fruit of the pepper-tree, Piper nigrum. While fresh the corns are red, but become black on drying. When they are decorticated they are termed white pepper. This latter kind is preferable for use in cases in which the black particles of the peel would produce an unpleasant impression upon the eye, e.g., in lightcoloured or white dishes, on etiolised herbs, yellow salads, etc. The coarsely-pounded white pepper for use in salads, particularly white endive, is in the French kitchen termed concassé. Pepper yields a tincture, i.e., a solution in spirit of wine, which contains all its active ingredients. Cayenne pepper, the fruit capsules of Capsicum annuum, long or red pepper. The solanaceous plant was known to the Romans, and is grown all over the world. The powdered berry is a very powerful, fiery spice, and requires to be used with great discretion. But when so used it imparts to viands suitable for its application a flavour and warmth which is agreeable to the palate and beneficial to the digestive organs. Its tincture is particularly useful, as it distributes the taste and flavour equally throughout the substance of the viands, e.g., aspics. The essential parts are also soluble in vinegar ; but this is used much less than vinegar impregnated with the extract of chilis. Chili, or chilli, fruit - capsules of Capsicum haccatum frutescens, L., is grown in both Indies, and sold dried or preserved in vinegar. Placed in substance upon the tongue, it has an indescribably terrible effect, comparable to a mix- PEPPERY SUBSTANCES ture of the effects of fire or heat, pain, and undefinable distress, which lasts for hours, and even days. Its active extract must, therefore, be always greatly diluted by cooks, for it is very bad form to cause surprises to guests by putting before them dishes containing excess of these spices. Allspice, Jamaica pepper, French Piment de la Jamaique, consists of the berries of Myrtus pimenta, L. Its taste and smell is much like that of a mixture of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and pepper, but less energetic. It might, perhaps, be placed in the following third group, to which it forms, at all events, a transition. It is little used in cookery in this country, but enters largely into the adulterated spice powders sold to the public. The French term all the capsicums as well as allspice piment, and distinguish them from each other by adjectives or places of origin ; thus, the small chili to them is piment enragi ; as thrushes, ruffs and reeves, and Other birds can eat and digest this berry in quantities, it is also called piment des oiseaux. There is here an immunity resembling that of rabbits to the effect of foxglove or digitalis. The bush producing the Jamaica piment is by the French called bois d'Inde ; its ripe berries are violet, juicy, sweet, and highly perfumed, but very hot to the taste. They are eaten in great quantities by wood-pigeons, thrushes, and blackbirds, and other birds, which thereby acquire an exquisite flavour and become very fat. For the production of allspice the berries are collected in a somewhat under-ripe state, and dried in the sun.

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