One of my favorite, yet most simple items in my kitchen is my pepper grinder. I will admit though it took me awhile to learn this.
Growing up my dad always preferred using a pepper grinder. He preferred this over the preground kind most people buy. I always thought this was a silly thing and just added an extra step. But then I did not really like pepper on things. I never pepper my food at the table.
Once I got married and started doing a lot more cooking, I still did not give in to using fresh ground pepper. I still bought the preground stuff. I started using pepper more, the more I cooked, but I just continued using what I had been. Even my husband who peppers a lot of his food did not seem to know about fresh ground pepper. That was until he tried it at my parent’s house. He instantly realized that fresh ground pepper was so much better.
So, we went out and bought a pepper grinder, they really do not cost that much and are so worth it. We have had to replace our original grinder with the one in the picture. I think I paid about $15 for the one I have now.
Why is fresh ground pepper better, well because it is fresh. It has a stronger and fresher flavor. It is kind of like fresh herbs vs dried or Folgers coffee vs fresh ground ( or so I am told I don’t like coffee). So my kitchen tip for today is try grinding your pepper or do you already use a pepper grinder?
We bought a pepper grinder about a year ago and love it!! Freshly ground pepper is sooooo much better!
Hi Lynn – this is totally unrelated to this post (you have inspired me to try fresh ground pepper though!). I have been reading your blog faithfully for quite a while now and really enjoy your recipes. I was wondering if you ever make smoothies, and if so, do you have a recipe? I thought I had seen a recipe on here, but now I can't find it. Thanks & keep up the good work!
Wendy
Wendy, I have a few milkshake recipes on the site but no smoothies yet. I do have a few smoothie recipes I hope to post soon. Most are not so much recipes but just how I make them. Maybe next week so stay tuned.
Thanks Lynn – I definitely will. I subscribe to your blog through google reader so I don’t miss any posts. I also wanted to let you know that the recipe you posted for tomato soup is one of my family’s new favorites. My husband told me the last time to make sure that I never buy store bought tomato soup again!! 🙂 My little boy is 16 months old and he gets really excited when he sees that we are having it. Thanks again!
God bless,
Wendy