White Pepper

White pepper is a spice made from the seed of Piper nigrum, the same plant used to produce black pepper, but processed differently: the ripe berries are soaked in water until the outer skin can be removed, leaving only the pale inner seed, which is then dried. This process gives white pepper a milder, less complex flavor than black pepper, without the outer skin's grassy, pungent notes, and it is favored in pale sauces and dishes such as white sauces, mashed potatoes and certain Asian soups where dark flecks of black pepper would be visually undesirable. White pepper is especially prominent in Scandinavian, French, Chinese and Thai culinary traditions.