Why should you purchase a top-quality pepper grinder?
Posted on juillet 17, 2014 by Frank
We remind it very often: pepper is the most common spice in the world. Its taste is appreciated on the 5 continents. It is used in a vast array of dishes which cover soups, eat, starches, salads, vegetables and many more. As a matter of fact pepper has the advantage to blend well with many meals if it used with moderation and its quality is able to influence the flavors of a meal very much. The more a pepper is good the more its flavors are respected. Here some advice about how to choose the best pepper grinder for your needs.
The benefits of a good pepper grinder
If you know a little about gastronomy and realize how important pepper can be for a meal, you won’t be too much surprised to learn that the cost of a good pepper grinder can vary from 40$ to 250$ for the luxury models. The top-quality models are usually handcrafted by craftsmen like Sylvain Tremblay in Quebec or even Peugeot Elis in France. Why would you invest so much money in a simple pepper grinder? First the quality of the mechanism is an important part of the grinder. It determines the longevity of the shaker and the aromatic quality of your pepper once in your plate.
Then you can also take a look at the robustness of the wood and the steel which is supposed to be stainless. In terms of taste it is always better to purchase your own pepper mill than using already ground spice. The flavor of pepper is very volatile and it is therefore necessary to break the grains just before being served if you want to preserve the power and purity of its aroma. By the way most of ground pepper boxes sold in retailers contain only 20 to 30% of pepper; the rest is made of chili, corn and rice which are much cheaper spices. By purchasing a pepper mill, you preserve the true taste of the queen of the spices.
The criteria you should take into account
Usually purchasing a pepper grinder is an easy task since it is possible to touch and try them in specialty stores. The mains characteristics to take into account are the capacity of the loader, the quality of the materials, the warranty, the design and the finish of course. The most expensive models are handcrafted by specialized cabinet maker and designers. These magnificent objects may be overpriced for mass market but they are intended for enthusiasts of beautiful crafts or gastronomy: these top-quality pepper mills usually own a soul of their own! And they may last a lifetime in your kitchen! In general the quality of the intern grinder determines the overall longevity.
The low range grinder are made of zinc that is little resistant. Middle range products feature stainless steel but high range mills use carbon which is very expensive since it requires a diamond blade to be cut. Stainless steel grinders are able to cut pepper very well as well as salt if you load large crystals. However your own tastes will also determine your purchase because among mills, some are best to cut very thin grains and some provide larger grains in your plate, knowing that the best models feature a device to adjust the size of ground pepper. Finally the last characteristic to be checked concerns the warranty. Once again the luxury models include a lifetime warranty so your investment won’t be useless.