What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some peppercorns?

I have a ****y little pepper grinder.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 26, 4:44*pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some peppercorns?
>
> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

Enough torque to grind the pepper. On some grinders you can adjsut
from course to fine.

On Dec 26, 7:44*pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some peppercorns?
>
> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.

It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.

Jerry
--
"I view the progress of science as being the slow erosion of the
tendency to dichotomize." Barbara Smuts, U. Mich.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> On Dec 26, 7:44 pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
>> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some
>> peppercorns?
>>
>> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>
> It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.
>
> Jerry

Thanks Jerry. I think my problem was that I was grinding the pepper too
fine.

I'm grinding it a little coarser now.

Coarse pepper has more flavor. Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the
supermarket.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 27, 11:26*am, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
> Jerry Avins wrote:
> > On Dec 26, 7:44 pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> >> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some
> >> peppercorns?
>
> >> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>
> > It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.
>
> > Jerry
>
> Thanks Jerry. I think my problem was that I was grinding the pepper too
> fine.
>
> I'm grinding it a little coarser now.
>
> Coarse pepper has more flavor. Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the
> supermarket.
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

How long did it take you to figure that out?

On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M."
> wrote:

>
> Coarse pepper has more flavor.

It certainly does.

> Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the supermarket.

Where have you been? The supermarket carries coarser ground pepper.
They even have cracked pepper, which no one can complain about because
your teeth grind it up and you'll get quite a blast of pepper if
you're not ready for it.

--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

On 12/27/2011 10:18 AM, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M."
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>
> It certainly does.
>
>> Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the supermarket.
>
> Where have you been? The supermarket carries coarser ground pepper.
> They even have cracked pepper, which no one can complain about because
> your teeth grind it up and you'll get quite a blast of pepper if
> you're not ready for it.
>

A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile piquin.
These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are rather hot. I
used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor the little bombs
of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then faded rapidly away.
The guy was a little surprised that I ate them whole because the
Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on their food. What the
heck, it works for me.

If you like intense heat, you should experience these. The ones I'm
talking about are the round, dry, ones not the elongated ones. I wish I
could carry them with me everywhere to liven up boring dishes.

On Dec 27, 1:44*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> On 12/27/2011 10:18 AM, sf wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M."
> > > *wrote:
>
> >> Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>
> > It certainly does.
>
> >> Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the supermarket.
>
> > Where have you been? *The supermarket carries coarser ground pepper.
> > They even have cracked pepper, which no one can complain about because
> > your teeth grind it up and you'll get quite a blast of pepper if
> > you're not ready for it.
>
> A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile piquin.
> These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are rather hot. I
> used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor the little bombs
> of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then faded rapidly away.
> The guy was a little surprised that I ate them whole because the
> Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on their food. What the
> heck, it works for me.
>
> If you like intense heat, you should experience these. The ones I'm
> talking about are the round, dry, ones not the elongated ones. I wish I
> could carry them with me everywhere to liven up boring dishes.

Well, there's no reason you can't take them wherever you want.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> On Dec 27, 2:26 pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
>> Jerry Avins wrote:
>>> On Dec 26, 7:44 pm, "Christopher M." >
>>> wrote:
>>>> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some
>>>> peppercorns?
>>
>>>> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>>
>>> It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.
>>
>>> Jerry
>>
>> Thanks Jerry. I think my problem was that I was grinding the pepper
>> too fine.
>>
>> I'm grinding it a little coarser now.
>>
>> Coarse pepper has more flavor. Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in
>> the supermarket.
>
> Your experience may depend on the variety of pepper, but I suspect
> that you may have set the mill so fine that the two burrs were in
> contact and you were trying to grind steel. I like a very fine grind
> for most dishes.
>
> The aroma, but not the sharpness, dissipates quickly in air, which is
> why I use a mill in the first place. Skeptics should try this: use two
> small dishes. Grind some pepper into one and let it sit for a day.
> Then, without resetting the mill, grind a like amount into the other.
> Sniff at each, and the older one should be evident. What we perceive
> as taste has an aroma component, and the stale pepper is just less
> pungent.

Ground pepper does get moldy very quickly. I think I read that it's one of
the moldiest things in the kitchen.

> The most aromatic pepper of all is prepared in a mortar, not a mill.
> The pounding expresses the aromatic oil and gives the result
> remarkable pungency. I don't bother for a little bit, but when a
> recipe calls for half a teaspoon or more, my mortar is actually
> quicker. The conversion is simple: a teaspoon of peppercorns pounds up
> to a teaspoon of ground pepper.

Pounding is one way to use a mortar. Another way is to move the handle of
the pestle, in a circular motion, around the top edge of the mortar while
the bottom of the pestle slides against the opposite bottom edge of the
mortar. If the mortar is shaped correctly, the pestle should move seamlessly
along the bottom edge. But most mortars are junk.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

dsi1 wrote:
> On 12/27/2011 10:18 AM, sf wrote:
>> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M."
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>>
>> It certainly does.
>>
>>> Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the supermarket.
>>
>> Where have you been? The supermarket carries coarser ground pepper.
>> They even have cracked pepper, which no one can complain about
>> because your teeth grind it up and you'll get quite a blast of
>> pepper if you're not ready for it.
>>
>
> A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile
> piquin. These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are
> rather hot. I used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor
> the little bombs of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then
> faded rapidly away. The guy was a little surprised that I ate them
> whole because the Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on
> their food. What the heck, it works for me.

You forgot to mention that Mexicans wash their hands, after they crush the
chiles, to avoid skin burns.

I don't have much of a tolerance for pepper myself. Too much spicy food
would destroy the good bacteria in my digestive system. I eat a lot of
Activia yogurt.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Dec 27, 10:09*pm, "Christopher M." >
wrote:
> Jerry Avins wrote:
> > On Dec 27, 2:26 pm, "Christopher M." > wrote:
> >> Jerry Avins wrote:
> >>> On Dec 26, 7:44 pm, "Christopher M." >
> >>> wrote:
> >>>> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some
> >>>> peppercorns?
>
> >>>> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>
> >>> It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.
>
> >>> Jerry
>
> >> Thanks Jerry. I think my problem was that I was grinding the pepper
> >> too fine.
>
> >> I'm grinding it a little coarser now.
>
> >> Coarse pepper has more flavor. Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in
> >> the supermarket.
>
> > Your experience may depend on the variety of pepper, but I suspect
> > that you may have set the mill so fine that the two burrs were in
> > contact and you were trying to grind steel. I like a very fine grind
> > for most dishes.
>
> > The aroma, but not the sharpness, dissipates quickly in air, which is
> > why I use a mill in the first place. Skeptics should try this: use two
> > small dishes. Grind some pepper into one and let it sit for a day.
> > Then, without resetting the mill, grind a like amount into the other.
> > Sniff at each, and the older one should be evident. What we perceive
> > as taste has an aroma component, and the stale pepper is just less
> > pungent.
>
> Ground pepper does get moldy very quickly. I think I read that it's one of
> the moldiest things in the kitchen.
>
> > The most aromatic pepper of all is prepared in a mortar, not a mill.
> > The pounding expresses the aromatic oil and gives the result
> > remarkable pungency. I don't bother for a little bit, but when a
> > recipe calls for half a teaspoon or more, my mortar is actually
> > quicker. The conversion is simple: a teaspoon of peppercorns pounds up
> > to a teaspoon of ground pepper.
>
> Pounding is one way to use a mortar. Another way is to move the handle of
> the pestle, in a circular motion, around the top edge of the mortar while
> the bottom of the pestle slides against the opposite bottom edge of the
> mortar. If the mortar is shaped correctly, the pestle should move seamlessly
> along the bottom edge. But most mortars are junk.

Peppercorns and poppy seeds are too hard for that technique. For
pepper, I use a tall brass mortar deeper tan it is wide, and I still
need a cover to keep the pepper from scattering. I use the plastic top
of a coffee can with a hole in it for the pestle. It works like a
charm.

Jerry
--
"I view the progress of science as being the slow erosion of the
tendency to dichotomize." Barbara Smuts, U. Mich.

Jerry Avins wrote:
> On Dec 27, 10:09 pm, "Christopher M." >
> wrote:
>> Jerry Avins wrote:
>>> On Dec 27, 2:26 pm, "Christopher M." >
>>> wrote:
>>>> Jerry Avins wrote:
>>>>> On Dec 26, 7:44 pm, "Christopher M." >
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> What kind of torque do I need to get a good grind on some
>>>>>> peppercorns?
>>
>>>>>> I have a ****y little pepper grinder.
>>
>>>>> It depends on the mill. A good deal less than a foot-pound.
>>
>>>>> Jerry
>>
>>>> Thanks Jerry. I think my problem was that I was grinding the pepper
>>>> too fine.
>>
>>>> I'm grinding it a little coarser now.
>>
>>>> Coarse pepper has more flavor. Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in
>>>> the supermarket.
>>
>>> Your experience may depend on the variety of pepper, but I suspect
>>> that you may have set the mill so fine that the two burrs were in
>>> contact and you were trying to grind steel. I like a very fine grind
>>> for most dishes.
>>
>>> The aroma, but not the sharpness, dissipates quickly in air, which
>>> is why I use a mill in the first place. Skeptics should try this:
>>> use two small dishes. Grind some pepper into one and let it sit for
>>> a day. Then, without resetting the mill, grind a like amount into
>>> the other. Sniff at each, and the older one should be evident. What
>>> we perceive as taste has an aroma component, and the stale pepper
>>> is just less pungent.
>>
>> Ground pepper does get moldy very quickly. I think I read that it's
>> one of the moldiest things in the kitchen.
>>
>>> The most aromatic pepper of all is prepared in a mortar, not a mill.
>>> The pounding expresses the aromatic oil and gives the result
>>> remarkable pungency. I don't bother for a little bit, but when a
>>> recipe calls for half a teaspoon or more, my mortar is actually
>>> quicker. The conversion is simple: a teaspoon of peppercorns pounds
>>> up to a teaspoon of ground pepper.
>>
>> Pounding is one way to use a mortar. Another way is to move the
>> handle of the pestle, in a circular motion, around the top edge of
>> the mortar while the bottom of the pestle slides against the
>> opposite bottom edge of the mortar. If the mortar is shaped
>> correctly, the pestle should move seamlessly along the bottom edge.
>> But most mortars are junk.
>
> Peppercorns and poppy seeds are too hard for that technique. For
> pepper, I use a tall brass mortar deeper tan it is wide, and I still
> need a cover to keep the pepper from scattering. I use the plastic top
> of a coffee can with a hole in it for the pestle. It works like a
> charm.

That's some badass hardware.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On 12/27/2011 10:14 PM, Christopher M. wrote:

> I don't have much of a tolerance for pepper myself. Too much spicy food
> would destroy the good bacteria in my digestive system. I eat a lot of
> Activia yogurt.

If you pay attention to the Activia commercials closely, they say it can
maintain good bacteria in the gut if eaten 3 times a day.

On 12/27/2011 10:41 PM, Jerry Avins wrote:

> Peppercorns and poppy seeds are too hard for that technique. For
> pepper, I use a tall brass mortar deeper tan it is wide, and I still
> need a cover to keep the pepper from scattering. I use the plastic top
> of a coffee can with a hole in it for the pestle. It works like a
> charm.

Great idea, Jerry!

On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:55:40 -0800 (PST), Chemo the Clown
> wrote:

> On Dec 27, 1:44*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> > On 12/27/2011 10:18 AM, sf wrote:
> >
> >
> > A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile piquin.
> > These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are rather hot. I
> > used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor the little bombs
> > of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then faded rapidly away.
> > The guy was a little surprised that I ate them whole because the
> > Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on their food. What the
> > heck, it works for me.
> >
> > If you like intense heat, you should experience these. The ones I'm
> > talking about are the round, dry, ones not the elongated ones. I wish I
> > could carry them with me everywhere to liven up boring dishes.
>
> Well, there's no reason you can't take them wherever you want.

He probably can't get them in Hawaii and if he's anything like me, he
counts shipping as part of the cost; so they're probably out of the
question as far as money goes.
--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:14:13 -0500, "Christopher M."
> wrote:

> I eat a lot of Activia yogurt.

Can't you get the good bacteria by eating Greek Yogurt?

--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

On 12/27/2011 5:14 PM, Christopher M. wrote:
> dsi1 wrote:
>> On 12/27/2011 10:18 AM, sf wrote:
>>> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M."
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>>>
>>> It certainly does.
>>>
>>>> Fine pepper tastes like the stuff in the supermarket.
>>>
>>> Where have you been? The supermarket carries coarser ground pepper.
>>> They even have cracked pepper, which no one can complain about
>>> because your teeth grind it up and you'll get quite a blast of
>>> pepper if you're not ready for it.
>>>
>>
>> A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile
>> piquin. These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are
>> rather hot. I used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor
>> the little bombs of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then
>> faded rapidly away. The guy was a little surprised that I ate them
>> whole because the Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on
>> their food. What the heck, it works for me.
>
> You forgot to mention that Mexicans wash their hands, after they crush the
> chiles, to avoid skin burns.

I had no idea how they crush the peppers. I figure they used 2 spoons.
Anyway, thanks for the info.

>
> I don't have much of a tolerance for pepper myself. Too much spicy food
> would destroy the good bacteria in my digestive system. I eat a lot of
> Activia yogurt.

Sounds like a plan. I have used live-culture yogurt to populate my guts
with helpful bacteria. I've been doing this for decades. It helps me
digest milk products.

>
>
> W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>
>

On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:43:35 -0800, sf > wrote:

>On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:14:13 -0500, "Christopher M."
> wrote:
>
>> I eat a lot of Activia yogurt.
>
>Can't you get the good bacteria by eating Greek Yogurt?

All yogurt has pro-bacteria. Activia has some 'other' kind in
addition-- but the FTC made them back pedal a whole bunch on their
*unsubstantiated* health claims.

Jim

On 12/28/11 8:06 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:43:35 -0800, > wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:14:13 -0500, "Christopher M."
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I eat a lot of Activia yogurt.
>>
>> Can't you get the good bacteria by eating Greek Yogurt?
>
> All yogurt has pro-bacteria. Activia has some 'other' kind in
> addition-- but the FTC made them back pedal a whole bunch on their
> *unsubstantiated* health claims.
>
> Jim

Not all yogurt has *live* bacteria though. One can also drink
Acidophilus milk to help with tummy issues too.

I'm still curious as to why someone in this thread thinks that spicy
food kills gut flora?? Never in my life have I heard of such an idea. If
stomach acids don't do the bacteria in, why would a little spice??

On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M." >
wrote:

>Coarse pepper has more flavor.

No. Just like coffee, the finer the grind, the easier it is to extract the
available flavor.

-- Larry

On Dec 27, 3:08*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> On 12/27/2011 11:55 AM, Chemo the Clown wrote:
>
> > On Dec 27, 1:44 pm, > *wrote:
> >> A guy from Texas sent me a small medicine bottle of dried chile piquin..
> >> These are about the same size as peppercorns but they are rather hot. I
> >> used to add them whole to my bowls of chili and savor the little bombs
> >> of intense heat that lasted a few seconds and then faded rapidly away.
> >> The guy was a little surprised that I ate them whole because the
> >> Mexicans crush them before they sprinkle it on their food. What the
> >> heck, it works for me.
>
> >> If you like intense heat, you should experience these. The ones I'm
> >> talking about are the round, dry, ones not the elongated ones. I wish I
> >> could carry them with me everywhere to liven up boring dishes.
>
> > Well, there's no reason you can't take them wherever you want.
>
> Well, nobody can say you ain't a practical person. You're absolutely
> right. I don't like carrying crap with me but a little container that I
> can attach to my keys would work. I guess I'd have to find a guy into
> cocaine who can point me in the right direction. Asking a dope fiend for
> advice would probably make him feel good and I'll have done a good deed
> for the day. :-)

I wonder if Tupperware still makes their tiny bowls- seems like they
had a chain attached to the lid that would work perfectly for this!

Goomba wrote:
> Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>
>> All yogurt has pro-bacteria. Activia has some 'other' kind in
>> addition-- but the FTC made them back pedal a whole bunch on their
>> *unsubstantiated* health claims.

That doesn't mean their claims were false. It's a technicality that
matters.

> I'm still curious as to why someone in this thread thinks that spicy
> food kills gut flora?? Never in my life have I heard of such an idea. If
> stomach acids don't do the bacteria in, why would a little spice??

That bit was odd to me. Some folks can't tell different issues apart.
Any problem to them is the same as any other problem.

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:06:33 -0500, wrote:

> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M." >
> wrote:
>
> >Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>
> No. Just like coffee, the finer the grind, the easier it is to extract the
> available flavor.
>
Coarse pepper has more flavor because the final grinder is your teeth.

--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

"Jim Elbrecht" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:43:35 -0800, sf > wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:14:13 -0500, "Christopher M."
> wrote:
>>
>>> I eat a lot of Activia yogurt.
>>
>>Can't you get the good bacteria by eating Greek Yogurt?
>
> All yogurt has pro-bacteria. Activia has some 'other' kind in
> addition-- but the FTC made them back pedal a whole bunch on their
> *unsubstantiated* health claims.
>
> Jim

I can't eat probiotics. Activia works for me.


W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:12:08 -0800 in rec.food.cooking, sf
> wrote,
>On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:06:33 -0500, wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M." >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >Coarse pepper has more flavor.
>>
>> No. Just like coffee, the finer the grind, the easier it is to extract the
>> available flavor.
>>
>Coarse pepper has more flavor because the final grinder is your teeth.

Coarse pepper in scrambled eggs means never having to apologize for bits
of eggshell.

On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:27:51 -0800, David Harmon >
wrote:

> On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:12:08 -0800 in rec.food.cooking, sf
> > wrote,
> >On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:06:33 -0500, wrote:
> >
> >> On Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:26:49 -0500, "Christopher M." >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >Coarse pepper has more flavor.
> >>
> >> No. Just like coffee, the finer the grind, the easier it is to extract the
> >> available flavor.
> >>
> >Coarse pepper has more flavor because the final grinder is your teeth.
>
> Coarse pepper in scrambled eggs means never having to apologize for bits
> of eggshell.

LOL!
--

Ham and eggs.
A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.