European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes tuesday october 24, 1967 Worth weight in Gold by Charles Graham staff writer during the age of discovery Brawny Sailor pushed their Luck and skills to the limit in search ing uncharted oceans to find countries which grew Pepper a precious spice introduced to Europe by Marco  great was the demand for Pepper after word spread of Polo s 13th Century adventures that the tiny berries became literally Worth their weight in Gold. Fortune after Fortune was poured into the Distant quest for spice lands. Columbus Magellan Vasco a Gama and their courageous colleague sought Pepper As eagerly As any other treasure whenever their frail wooden boats dropped  itinerant seamen finally found the coveted Pepper vines on the Malabar coast Java Sumatra and the East indies. In addition to mistaking South american Island for the sub continent of India Columbus also mis took the Small dark berries of allspice for Pepper corns. He made this botanical error in the West indies and in some quarters today allspice is still called Pimento after the Spanish word for Pep per  pungent Peppercorn also played a role in the development of America s merchant shipping Dur ing our country s fledgling Days. The Story began in the Early Spring of 1797 when a Small Yankee Schooner with the presumptuous name of Rajah sailed quietly into the port of new York. The tight lipped Captain would t say where he had been but word soon leaked out that the uni posing ship had been on an extremely successful and profitable  rumours proved truer than anyone had imagined. The mysterious skipper soon sold his75-ton cargo of Black Pepper for a 700 per cent  the next 50 years following the Rajah s financial coup Pepper Trade with the far East sparked the development of a Strong american merchant Marine which came Home with millions of pounds of the coveted Pepper and poured Over $5 million in Pepper duties into the .  Pepper and the less pungent White Pepper which is More popular in Europe than America come from the same Vine. The difference is in the  Pepper is made from slightly under Ripe Peppercorns which arc dried in the Sun or Over charcoal fires acquiring the characteristic Black wrinkled  Pepper comes from fully ripened Pepper corns which Are actually dark red in color that have been dried until they too Are Black and wrinkled. Then the Black outer Shell is peeled off exposing the creamy White Peppercorn. Botanists believe that Pepper which was firs found growing wild on the Malabar coast of India has been cultivated Over 5,000 years. The princely spice s cultivation spread from the Malabar coast to Java then to Sumatra in the 14th Century prob ably carried by hindus or moslem. Today there Are extensive Pepper farms in India Java Sumatra Borneo Malaya and equatorial  the proud Possession of Only Kings and noblemen Pepper is now found on every table fro the most Down at the heels truck Stop to the most magnificent mansion in the  is so much More commonly used than All other spices on the rack that when a particular dish is served with a lot of Pepper in it guests Don t say the food is Peppery they say the food is  Black Pepper is As common As  Pepper either whole or ground should be used when a More delicate Pepper flavor is de sired. This seasoning is also Good for dishes with a lighter color such As White sauces Chicken Offish when Black Pepper would give your table a polka Dot look. Next week Anise fennel Corriander favor ites of ancients. I