Roaming Roots

PERUVIAN PEPPER TREE, CALIFORNIA PEPPER TREE, FALSE PEPPER TREE, PINK PEPPERCORN TREE

July 19, 2022

Our first stop in California was Joshua Tree National Park.

Next, we skirted Los Angeles (been there, done that) while heading north and ended up camping near Thousand Oaks where Peruvian pepper trees were everywhere!

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The Peruvian pepper tree is an aromatic evergreen with a weeping canopy of branches and feathery, pinnate leaves that have a peppery smell when crushed. The bark is scaly, light grey-brown to dark brown, and will exude a sticky latex if damaged.

In the spring, the Peruvian pepper tree sports very small, greenish-yellow, five-petaled flowers.

The fruit that follows is a peppery smelling and tasting berry in a thin rose-colored husk containing 1-2 small black seeds. The fruit hangs in dense drooping clusters of many seeds.

Native to Northern Peru in the high desert of the Andes, the Peruvian pepper tree has escaped cultivation in many parts of the world, including the United States, and become invasive.

THE FRUIT

The pink peppercorn is not related to the black, green or white peppercorn berries commonly used as a spice (Piper nigrum, or true pepper). The difference between the above mentioned peppercorns is simply preparation – green peppercorn is harvested prematurely and the white have had their black skin removed.

Pink peppercorns are from a completely different family and, thus, are considered false peppers. They belong to the Anacardiaceae family, which also contains poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and cashews, and may cause an allergic reactions for some.

This is an interesting plant because of its known hazards. However, it has a long history of culinary and medicinal uses. In fact, pink peppercorns are considered a gourmet spice and often fetch around $10/ounce.

PRECAUTIONS

• The seeds contain an allergenic substance that can irritate the mucus membranes and have been reported to be toxic in large quantities.
• The leaves and sap can cause contact dermatitis.
• The pollen, either on contact or when inhaled, can cause dermatitis and asthmatic reactions.

TRADITIONAL USES & HERBAL BENEFITS

Traditional South American uses include:

Culinary

Pink pepper contains pinene, a natural insect-repellent also found in conifers, citrus and cannabis. This gives pink peppercorns a strong herbal, floral and citrus flavor that is unique from Piper nigrum. 

• An intoxicating liquor known as ‘copalocle’ or ‘copalote’ is created by fermenting the pink peppercorns and agave for several days. Also, two different types of wine can be made; one from the twigs and another from the berries.
• An essential oil can be distilled from the fruit and is used to flavor baked goods and candies.
• The fruits have been added to horchatas.
• The sap that exudes from the bark is used for chewing.

Medicinal

• Antibacterial
• Antiviral
• Topical antiseptic
• Antifungal
• Antioxidant
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-tumoral
• Antispasmodic
• Analgesic
• Stimulant
• Antidepressant

However, be aware that when purchasing pink peppercorns for your spice cabinet, the term can refer to three different species:

• The subject of today’s post, the Peruvian pepper tree or Schinus molle,
• Its cousin the Brazilian pepper, or Schinus terebinthifolia, invasive in Florida and also the source of dermatitis in some, or
• Euonymus phellomanus, the Baies rose plant

RECIPE

I have been using pink peppercorns for decades without knowing the background or risk for allergies. Nevertheless, my research made me understandably cautious. I nibbled on a berry the day before I was planning this meal as a precaution. Fortunately, neither of us was sensitive to handling or consuming the fruits.

The recipe selected to highlight our foraged pink peppercorns was Mehreen Karim’s Date and Pink Peppercorn Pasta from Bon Appétit.

I did have to make a couple of substitutions just based on what we had in the pantry:

• Used macaroni instead of mafaldine or tagliatelle pasta
• Pink lemon instead of regular lemon
• Parmigiano-Reggiano was swapped for Pecorino Romano

This was a fun dish but do NOT skimp on the dates – they pull the recipe together!!

References

CAB International. (2022). Schinus mole (false pepper tree). Invasive species compendium. https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/49028

Fine Dining Lovers. (2021, January 12). Pink peppercorns: Benefits and recipes. https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/pink-peppercorns#:~:text=This%20gives%20pink%20peppercorns%20a%20strong%20aroma%20of,sure%20to%20go%20in%20knowing%20what%20to%20expect.

Ly, L. (n.d.). Peruvian pink peppercorns: A surprising backyard forage. Garden Betty. https://www.gardenbetty.com/peruvian-pink-peppercorns/#:~:text=Harvesting%20pink%20peppercorns%20is%20as%20simple%20as%20collecting,a%20good%20amount%20of%20reddish-pink%20berries%20on%20it.

Martins, M., Arantes, S., Candeias, F., Tinoco, M., Cruz-Morais, J. (2014). Antioxidant, antimicrobial and toxicological properties of Schinus molle L. essential oils, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 151(1), 485-492. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874113007897

Schinus molle. (n.d.). https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Schinus+molle

Superfoodly. (2018, July 23). What is pink peppercorn? Not pepper, but taste with toxicity. https://superfoodly.com/pink-peppercorn/