Pepper in one form or other is used around the world to enhance the flavor of both savory and sweet dishes. It not only stimulates gastric juices, but delivers a digestive bonus as well. The world's most popular spice is a berry that grows in grape-like clusters on the pepper plant (Piper nigrum), a climbing vine native to India and Indonesia. The berry is processed to produce three basic types of peppercorn - black, white and green.

The most common is the black peppercorn. The berry is picked when it is not quite ripe. It is then dried until it shrivels and the skin turns dark brown to become the black peppercorn. Black pepper has the strongest flavored of the three - slightly hot with a hint of sweetness. Among the best black peppers are the Tellicherry and the Lampong.

The less pungent white pepper is derived from berry that has been allowed to ripen, after which the skin is removed and then dried. The result is a smaller, smoother-skinned, light-tan peppercorn with a milder flavor. White pepper is used to a great extent for appearance, usually in light-colored sauces or foods where dark specks of black pepper would stand out. Black and white peppercorns are available whole, cracked and coarsely or finely ground.

Whole peppercorns freshly ground with a pepper mill deliver more flavor than does pre-ground pepper, which loses its flavor fairly quickly. Whole dried peppercorns can be stored in a cool, dark place for about a year; ground pepper will keep its flavor for about 4 months.

The green peppercorn is from the soft, under ripe berry that's usually preserved in brine. It has a fresh flavor that's less pungent than the white and black peppercorns. Green peppercorns packed in brine are available in jars and cans. They should be refrigerated once opened and can be kept for 1month. Water-packed green peppercorns must also be refrigerated but will only keep for about a week. Freeze-dried green peppercorns are also available and can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Pink peppercorns are not true peppercorns but actually the dried berries from the Baies rose plant. They're cultivated in Madagascar and imported via France, hence their exorbitant price. These rose-hued berries are pungent and slightly sweet. Pink peppercorns can be found in gourmet stores either freeze-dried or packed in brine or water. Once opened, refrigerate water-packed berries for about a week, those packed in brine for 3 to 4 weeks. Freeze-dried pink peppercorns can be stored in a cool, dark place for about 6 months.

Pink peppercorns are used as colorful, flavorful additions to a variety of sauces and meat and fish dishes. Though there was once widespread controversy regarding their safety, pink peppercorns have now been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. They should not, however, be confused with pink berries (also referred to as peppercorns) from an ornamental plant in Florida and California that can cause severe allergic reactions if eaten.

Native to the Szechuan province of China, this mildly hot spice comes from the prickly ash tree. Though not related to the PEPPERCORN family, Szechuan berries resemble black peppercorns but contain a tiny seed. Szechuan pepper has a distinctive flavor and fragrance. It can be found in Asian markets and specialty stores in whole or powdered form. Whole berries are often heated before being ground to bring out their tantalizing flavor and aroma. Szechuan pepper is also known as Chinese pepper, flower pepper, san jill, anise pepper, fagara and Sichuan pepper.