When we talk about pepper, we can refer to two separate parts of the pepper plant, the fruit, which is an edible herb, and the ground seed which is used as a spice. The fruit of the sweet pepper, which is large and hollow, is popular for adding color and flavor to salads and stir fry dishes. They are also popular for stuffing with a rice mixture and baked as ‘stuffed pepper.’
Then, there are hot peppers that may be eaten whole and used in many ‘hot’ dishes. Peppers ripen only on the vine. Most of them are grown in tropical countries and harvested once a year.
When we refer to pepper as the spice, we are talking about the familiar ground seeds that make the black pepper and white pepper that we have in our kitchens. White pepper is milder than black pepper. Each provides their own distinct character.