Hi---

My name is Pam Jacoby, and I was a very regular poster some years back. Now
days, I wander in and lurk for the most part.

I need some serious help because (well, yes for that to, but we're talking
cooking) Penzey's discontinued Sichuan Pepper-Salt a few years ago. This is
the perfect condiment for a favorite dish (below).

Yes, I know why they quit making it, and I've done some serious
searching---I just want an easy way to deal with this, for me, problem. I'm
looking for something beyond importing vast quantities of Sichaun
peppercorns! I'm willing to do the grinding. I just want a resource for
something less than a pound of peppercorns, and a "gist" recipe of how to do
it.

I include some RFC recipes from the past that have served me well---in
separate posts---plus the recipe reason for this request below.

TIA, Pam

I first ate this dish in a Chinese restaurant on Okinawa. For those
unaware, the Nationalist Chinese didn't flee only to the US and Taiwan.
Many went to Okinawa---do your own research. So, the island has many good
Chinese restaurants---end of story!

STUFFED EGGPLANT (Chinese) 4 - 8 servings

1/2 lb ground pork

6 large dried shrimp, soaked in 2 Tbsp hot water for 30 minutes, then
drained and finely chopped

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

3 - 4 Asian eggplants - sliced to create sandwich to stuff

Beer batter

2 c. peanut oil

Combine filling ingredients until meat holds together. Stuff eggplant
slices, dip in batter, and deep fry in 350°F oil until brown - about 2
minutes on a side. Serve with spiced salt/pepper.

Ed Grabau and Pam Jacoby > wrote:

> I'm
> looking for something beyond importing vast quantities of Sichaun
> peppercorns! I'm willing to do the grinding. I just want a resource for
> something less than a pound of peppercorns, and a "gist" recipe of how to do
> it.

Looks like The CMC Company has them, 2 oz for $5.25. See
<http://www.thecmccompany.com/chin.htm>. Maybe they are selling old
stock...

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
>

> Looks like The CMC Company has them, 2 oz for $5.25. See
> <http://www.thecmccompany.com/chin.htm>. Maybe they are selling old
> stock...
>
> Victor

The gossip of alt.food.asian is that they are now importing the Sichuan
peppercorns again. Perhaps Penzey's will pick it up. I used to make mine
by toasting the corns and crushing them half and half with kosher salt.

http://www.abc.net.au/perth/stories/s966547.htm
says to do one part corns to three parts salt.
Have you tried emailing Penzey's? I've gotten replies from them.
HTH
blacksalt

Rona Yuthasastrakosol quoted someone else:

> The only way it's allowed into the country is "roasted and ground"
> and that completely destroys the flavour.

Well, that's what I do with it, that's what many do with it. I assume
this imprecise writer means "if not used right away". If these was a big
enough market, there would be roasters and grinders flying this stuff in
while still toasty warm.
blacksalt

"kalanamak" > wrote in message
...
>
> The gossip of alt.food.asian is that they are now importing the Sichuan
> peppercorns again. Perhaps Penzey's will pick it up. I used to make mine
> by toasting the corns and crushing them half and half with kosher salt.
>
<snip>
I read elsewhere that it's not so. While it can be still be found, those
selling them are likely selling either old stock (at the time of the ban,
stores that still had stock could continue to sell it, but could not import
more), or stock smuggled in from China or Canada.

Here's a quotation from someone at worldspice.com (quotation is from
http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=32666 ). The thread is from
earlier this month.

---begin paste---
"No movement on the sichuan pepper front and honestly, none expected. You're
jousting with the citrus lobby in DC on this one and there just isn't a
strong enough coordinated effort to change it.

Any that you find, and I know the sources you speak of, is most definately
illegal. The only way it's allowed into the country is "roasted and ground"
and that completely destroys the flavour. If you find it whole, or see it on
the net, chances are it's not real sichan pepper or the USDA is already en
route to their doorsteps. With the homeland security money up for grabs,
every agency is making efforts to prove their worth, hence, stronger
enforcement.

I believe that the first discovery gets the product confiscated, the second,
a fine in the thousands of dollars range. Personally, I'm not willing to
risk it.

Good luck to you, enjoy some next time you find yourself in Vancouver at Sun
Sui Wah. :-)"
---end paste---

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"Rona Yuthasastrakosol" wrote
> "kalanamak" <
> > The gossip of alt.food.asian is that they are now importing the Sichuan
> > peppercorns again. Perhaps Penzey's will pick it up. I used to make mine
> > by toasting the corns and crushing them half and half with kosher salt.
> >
> <snip>
> I read elsewhere that it's not so. While it can be still be found, those
> selling them are likely selling either old stock (at the time of the ban,
> stores that still had stock could continue to sell it, but could not
import
> more), or stock smuggled in from China or Canada.
>
> Here's a quotation from someone at worldspice.com (quotation is from
> http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?showtopic=32666 ). The thread is from
> earlier this month.
>
> ---begin paste---
> "No movement on the sichuan pepper front and honestly, none expected.
You're
> jousting with the citrus lobby in DC on this one and there just isn't a
> strong enough coordinated effort to change it.
>
> Any that you find, and I know the sources you speak of, is most definately
> illegal. The only way it's allowed into the country is "roasted and
ground"
> and that completely destroys the flavour. If you find it whole, or see it
on
> the net, chances are it's not real sichan pepper or the USDA is already en
> route to their doorsteps. With the homeland security money up for grabs,
> every agency is making efforts to prove their worth, hence, stronger
> enforcement.
>
> I believe that the first discovery gets the product confiscated, the
second,
> a fine in the thousands of dollars range. Personally, I'm not willing to
> risk it.
>
> Good luck to you, enjoy some next time you find yourself in Vancouver at
Sun
> Sui Wah. :-)"
> ---end paste---
>
> rona

OK, my first reaction was to thank Victor for the resource, and I will do
so, because it's a good source.

I am, however, totally in the dark as to why we can't have these
peppercorns. I got some gobble from a clerk at a Penzey's store a few years
back that I never really understood and don't think contained any real
information. Just what is the issue?

Thanks, Pam

Ed Grabau and Pam Jacoby > wrote:

[of Sichuan peppercorns]
> I am, however, totally in the dark as to why we can't have these
> peppercorns. I got some gobble from a clerk at a Penzey's store a few years
> back that I never really understood and don't think contained any real
> information. Just what is the issue?

Sichuan peppercorns are said to carry Citrus canker that can be
dangerous to citrus crops, so USDA has banned them from import into the
US.

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:

> Sichuan peppercorns are said to carry Citrus canker that can be
> dangerous to citrus crops, so USDA has banned them from import into the
> US.
>
> Victor

Would that be the "growing" peppercorns rather than the finished retail ready
product?
Goomba

Goomba38 > wrote:

> Victor Sack wrote:
>
> > Sichuan peppercorns are said to carry Citrus canker that can be
> > dangerous to citrus crops, so USDA has banned them from import into the
> > US.
>
> Would that be the "growing" peppercorns rather than the finished retail ready
> product?

Apparently it is the retail product that is deemed to be dangerous,
otherwise why would they ban it?

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:

> > Would that be the "growing" peppercorns rather than the finished retail ready
> > product?
>
> Apparently it is the retail product that is deemed to be dangerous,
> otherwise why would they ban it?
>
> Victor

I dunno... I'm just trying to make heads or tails out of the ban. Do they fear
these peppercorns being sprinkled among citrus fields or something? I'm trying to
think of other agricultural products that aren't grown here that the finished
product is also banned?
Goomba

Steve Wertz wrote:
>
> On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 07:08:25 -0800, kalanamak >
> wrote:
>
> >Well, that's what I do with it, that's what many do with it. I assume
> >this imprecise writer means "if not used right away". If these was a big
> >enough market, there would be roasters and grinders flying this stuff in
> >while still toasty warm.
> >blacksalt
>
> They could roast it on the ships just before they dock.
>
> :-)

This goes right in with my gourmand's imagination along with selling
gourmet whole cream of a specific breed so that the purchaser could
churn (cuisinart) their own butter and the mailorder store that would
ship out only the freshest best stuff like nuts and beans, that the
consumer could keep in their deep freeze and use as the year goes by.
blacksalt

Goomba38 > wrote:

> I dunno... I'm just trying to make heads or tails out of the ban. Do they fear
> these peppercorns being sprinkled among citrus fields or something?

You never know what could become of the peppercorns once they get into
the country. They are infected with a bacterium highly contagious to
citrus plants that is apparently destroyed by roasting peppercorns, but
not by just drying them. It is enought to infect just one local citrus
tree and the contagious lesions can then be spread far and wide by wind
and rain. See, for example,
<http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ep/citruscanker/>.

Victor