Black, green, white, red: the four peppers from one vine

A single *Piper nigrum* vine can yield four different peppers. Ripeness and processing do the rest.

Green pepper is the unripe berry, picked while still bright and firm. Brined or freeze-dried to keep the colour, it carries vegetal pungency and low heat — classic in French sauces and Thai pastes.

Black pepper is the same berry, picked a few weeks later when starting to redden. Piled briefly to initiate fermentation, then sun-dried three to five days. The skin oxidises and wrinkles around the core — the compound piperine reaches 5–9 % of dry weight.

White pepper is the fully ripe berry, soaked in water for a week to loosen the outer skin, which is then rubbed off to expose the pale inner core. Cleaner heat, less floral top, favoured in cream-based dishes where black specks would show.

Red pepper is the rarest — picked at full maturity, brined or dried without the soaking step, retaining the crimson skin. Kampot and Penja produce small batches; aroma shifts toward dried fruit and soft spice.

Four products, one plant. The price pyramid follows rarity: red > white > black > green.