[RWebb]

ok, food nuts - a new thread for you...

I'll start with a reply I got back from America's Test Kitchen. I asked if black pepper becomes bitter when cooked as I've seen comments about that from various chefs, but have also seen many other chefs just toss it in early. Their reply:

Bitterness isn't a concern with black pepper so it can be added at early or late. The reason so many cooks reserve pepper for seasoning at the end is that much of its flavor and aroma is quite volatile, so it can be lost during cooking. Hence why you even see pepper ground freshly table-side--you get the full aromatic effect.