Pepper mill

Pepper Mill

A Pepper mill, also known as a pepper grinder, is a kitchen tool used to grind peppercorns into pepper. Pepper mills are often paired with matching salt mills to form a set of salt and pepper shakers.

History

The use of pepper mills can be traced back to the peppercorn era in ancient times. The Romans were known to use a primitive form of a pepper mill to grind their peppercorns. The modern pepper mill was not invented until the late 19th century by Peugeot, a French car manufacturer.

Design and Operation

A typical pepper mill consists of a container for storing the peppercorns, a grinding mechanism, and a knob or lever for adjusting the grind size. The grinding mechanism is usually made of hardened steel, ceramic, or stainless steel. The user turns the top of the mill, which rotates the grinding mechanism, grinding the peppercorns. The ground pepper then falls out of the bottom of the mill onto the food.

Types of Pepper Mills

There are several types of pepper mills, including manual and electric models. Manual pepper mills require the user to turn a handle or knob to grind the peppercorns, while electric models use a motor to do the grinding. Some pepper mills are designed to be operated with one hand, while others require two hands.

See Also

• Salt mill
• Spice grinder
• Mortar and pestle
• Coffee grinder