I just learnt that black pepper is NOT made from the dried seeds of bell peppers...

[LylaLee]

I'm really surprised. I wonder what else I think I 'know' which is wrong.

But, but, they don't even look the same!

I'm confused how you ever thought this. Have you never seen a whole peppercorn?

Or taste even similar.

I can't understand how you were ever confused about this!

Oh, there are lots of "obvious" things that come as a complete surprise to MNers (me included, although peppercorns isn't one of them).

whole threads have been dedicated to them. I've learnt loads!

I never thought they were, given that many countries call them capsicum and not peppers.

Im sure though, there’s things I think are true that I'm wrong about!Piper Nigrum

I'm not quite sure what a bell pepper is but what did you think peppercorns were?

Wait til you discover what paprika is. Your mind will be blown 🤯

Ah, but did you know that paprika is made from the dried SKIN of bell peppers??
I didn’t until I was about 40.
Maybe you did and that was confusing you.

X post!

Yes, and everyone apparently finds these threads hilarious rather than depressing.

This is a new one on me. I don't like bell peppers but like paprika 🤔

Bell peppers are the ordinary peppers you buy to chop up and put in salads or chilli. Red, yellow, orange or green. I think it's mainly a US term. Same family as chilli peppers, I believe (capsicums?), and they all come from the Americas, like tomatoes and potatoes. It blows my mind that nobody in Europe had ever tasted any of those vegetables (or red kidney beans or maize/sweetcorn or chocolate) until European explorers started bringing them back in the 1400s and 1500s.

I didn't know that about paprika! Interesting. Nice to start the day with a new fact.

When you cut a pepper open there are little seeds.

I thought black pepper was those seeds dried out.

I've known what paprika is for about 15 years now.

And you know everything do you?

I thought peppercorns were the dried seeds inside a green/red pepper.

Have you never seen whole peppercorn? I would think that's impossible😱

But those seeds are white and flat rather than black and round!

That's because they aren't depressing.

Everyone has things they either don't know or a "fact" they just assumed was the case. If they try to claim otherwise, they aren't very bright.

Strangely, I'm intolerant to bell peppers, but can use paprika with no ill effects (pun untended).

Well actual peppercorns aren't black either.

I thought they dried black somehow. Maybe roasted.

Yes, I have. I thought they cut them open and scraped out the seeds.

They are completely different shape and size

It blow my mind that the potatoes and tobacco were brought over then too. At the same time. Thanks Sir Walter Raleigh, chips and fags. You are personally responsible for the ill health of nations.

😂Bless you, OP! Gave me a good laugh!

Considering we don't grow these things ourselves it's not surprising, though. I've never seen a peppercorn plant either, just googled and they're so cool!