This berry originates from the fertile lands of Brazil. The pink peppercorn offers a resinous and slightly tangy fragrance that evokes the exotic delights of this region. On my personal tasting scale, I give it an aromatic intensity of 4 out of 10: subtle nuances of resin and acidity, making it an ideal companion for a wide variety of dishes, from fish to tagliatelle, cheeses, and vegetables.

In the kitchen, you can use it to bring a touch of elegance to your fresh salads, in summer or winter, or to enhance the sweetness of soft fresh cheeses. As a finishing touch, its flavors pair wonderfully with goat cheeses and desserts, bringing a note of sophistication to every bite.

At Le Comptoir de Toamasina, I invite you to discover pink peppercorns in all their splendor, at the best value for money. This exceptional small berry will make your cuisine travel. You will discover here how to use it, its history, and how it is produced.

Pink pepper is the fruit of a tree called aroeira in Brazil, native to South America and belonging to the same family as mango or cashew nuts — the Anacardiaceae. Pink peppercorn is not a true pepper, even if it is slightly peppery. In fact, it resembles neither red pepper nor black pepper.

It is important to know that there are two species producing pink peppercorns: the Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius, native to Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay — the species in our selection), and the Peruvian pepper tree (Schinus molle, native to cooler Andean regions of South America). Both are visually similar and produce edible berries, but they are indeed two distinct trees, with different origins and growth habits.

They are small berries born at the tips of branches. They are very fragile, coral pink or red in color. It is a highly aromatic and above all very delicate seed: it must be handled with care, otherwise its shell breaks and the berry loses its visual appeal.

If you ever want to recognize the two trees in the field: aroeira-salsa (Schinus molle) has slender leaves and weeping branches, like a weeping willow. Aroeira-pimenteira, the most common — and the one in our selection —, has rounded leaves and stems that stiffen with age to form a 7-to-10-meter-tall tree.

The States of Espírito Santo and Bahia in Brazil form the world's main production area for pink peppercorns of the Schinus terebinthifolius species. Initially developed in Brazil, its cultivation gradually spread to other regions like the US, New Caledonia, Réunion, and Madagascar. Today, Brazil and Madagascar remain the two leading global producers of pink peppercorns from this species.

These regions of Brazil are renowned for their significant production of pink peppercorns of exceptional quality. They stand out for their magnificent color, ranging from pale pink to carmine red, and for a taste that is simultaneously sweet, resinous, and floral, free from bitterness or aggressive spiciness.

Seeds and reproduction: seeds of aroeira-vermelha are orthodox — one kilogram of dry seeds contains about 35,000, according to industry standards. They are mainly dispersed by birds. It is a dioecious species requiring cross-pollination by insects; its flowering and fruiting are influenced by temperature and water availability.

Natural distribution: aroeira-vermelha grows naturally in eastern and northeastern Argentina, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, and several Brazilian states. It is widely harvested by farmers and local communities, for whom fruit sales represent a welcome supplementary income.

Their unique flavor stands out through several characteristics.

• A delicately peppery flavor: subtle, unlike black pepper, it is never biting or hot.
• Fruity and slightly sweet notes: a fruity sweetness reminiscent of certain citrus fruits.
• An aniseed scent: gentle, with a hint of anise evoking licorice notes.
• Sensitivity to heat: pink peppercorn contains essential oils that evaporate quickly under heat — making it best to add at the very end of cooking.

Travel through a world of flavors with pink peppercorn. I am in love with it myself, and here are my favorite recipes to showcase it.

For this pink peppercorn, as for my entire selection, I am not an importer: I buy in Europe from a supplier, and I select each batch myself according to my own criteria of color, fragrance, and freshness.

If you are a professional looking to buy large quantities directly from the source, Abaçai, based in Brazil, conducts expeditions across the country to source the finest pink peppercorns for professionals in container quantities. They offer spice sourcing, quality control, and port availability; transport can also be arranged.