Grains of paradise / Melegueta pepper / Ossame / Alligator pepper / Guinea grains / Guinea pepper

Profile: Lots of ego and mystery. Like Mr. Gatsby, a lot of show hides modest beginnings.

Details:

A fancy name for a historical replacement. Guinea pepper, a more geographically accurate term, and alligator pepper, a more bestial name. If you want to call it anything that reflects how most of the world has handled it, call it It'll Do Pepper. It's a shame because it's intriguing.

Grains of Paradise were first carried to Europe by caravan from Guinea and Ghana, when black pepper was the spice that defined the spice trade. It was used to replace black pepper when it was unavailable and cubeb berries were centuries away from providing a viable substitute. Even among its African ancestors, it never found a proper home. It is still used in Ghana and Guinea. Scandinavians like it, but only as an akvavit flavour.

The inflated sense of self is a shame because Grains of Paradise are an intriguing spice. They're related to cardamom but taste more like pepper. Hot, pungent, and spicy with a delicious cardamom flavor. But it's still a mild pepper or baking spice compared to true black pepper and cardamom.

Grains of Paradise are now used to flavor spice mixtures and alcohol. It is increasingly being used in place of pepper in many recipes. This is a blessing for homebrewers. It won't overshadow your brews and is easier to handle. Alcohol also enhances the wilder flavors of Grains of Paradise seasoning.