Peppercorns for Creamy Salad Dressing

This is the time of year when salads are our favorite meal.  So many fresh veggies coming out of the garden like lettuce, radishes and green onions.  One of our favorite creamy salad dressings to make is a Peppercorn and Parmesan Cheese Dressing.  It is so easy and delicious!

Blend 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste.  Refrigerate about 1-2 hours or until nice and cold to pour over your salad.

Peppercorns are used in our home almost everyday!  We absolutely love them!  Peppercorns are grown primarily in Brazil, India, Malaysia and Indonesia, but they can also be grown in Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. 

I learned something new about peppercorns and that is they do not harvest them until the third or fourth year and will continue to be harvested for about fifteen years!  The berries are picked by hand in either the green or red stages.  Peppercorns are available in green, black, white, pink, red and brown. 

We use peppercorns in pickles, soups, stews, sausages and dressings.  If you don't own a peppermill grinder, I highly recommend you get one.  You will love the taste and smell of freshly ground pepper.  Even though ground black pepper is available, we suggest using the fresh ground.  Peppercorns can be stored in a glass jar for about a year or longer.  Try mixing the different peppercorns for variety.  They are delicious and you will be hooked!