What Are Pink Peppercorns?

[ralph124c]

I just bought a jar of peppercorns-it includes black, green, and pink. I know black and green are the same (the black are just sun-dried green peppercorns), but what are the pink ones? Are they a different species of pepper?

[Ephemera]

*Pink Peppercorn

A berry that is grown on trees in tropical areas that is not actually a true peppercorn. The pink peppercorn is a very small berry, similar in appearance to a peppercorn, that has a thin papery texture and a mildly sweet flavor. Grown in South American regions as well as France, Indonesia, Thailand, and the West Indies region, this berry is freeze-dried or brine cured to be used in salads or fish, poultry and vegetable dishes, providing a slight aroma, a pleasant color and a crunchy texture.*

http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary.asp?id=37010&catitemid=

[Chefguy]

They’re for girly-men.

[DougC]

• • • I believe in one of William Poundstone’s Big Secrets books, he reveals that “gourmet” pink peppercorns are essentially the berries of a weed that commonly grows wild all across the southeastern US.
      ~