*Today, Americans consume more pepper than all other spices combined and in the last decade or so, attention shifted from ground pepper to peppercorns that range from white to pink in color.

*Pepper makes up about one-fourth of the world's trade in spices and Americans consume roughly four ounces a year per person.

*Americans consume 12 times more black pepper than white, while Europeans prefer white pepper.

*Green pepper comes in third in the pepper popularity contest, followed by pink peppercorn added to dishes mostly for its color.

*When you freshly crack pepper from the peppercorn, it gives off more flavor and aroma.