pepperette

English

Etymology

From pepper +‎ -ette.

Noun

pepperette (countable and uncountable, plural pepperettes)

1. An adulterant added to ground peppercorns, made from ground olive pits.
   • 1887, Chemist and Druggist: The Newsweekly for Pharmacy:

     In opening up the case for the prosecution Mr. Sadler stated that the pepper was found by the analyst (Dr. Campbell Brown) to contain 7 percent, of pepperette; and he was proceeding to refer to Mr. Kotzian, the manufacturer of the substance, when Mr. FirmiDger objected, and the objection was sustained by the Bench.

   • 1887, Great Britain. Local Government Board, Annual Report of the Local Government Board:

     It has heretofore mainly consisted in the addition of rice, sand, and shop-sweepings, but recently a trade has sprung up in the sale of “poivrette” or “pepperette,” a substance which is made in Italy by grinding olive stones, and is sold in this country at about 1d. a lb., whereas the price of the pepper with which it is mixed is from 8d. to 1s.6d. a lb.

   • 2015, J. E. Purvis, T. R. Hodgson, The Chemical Examination of Water, Sewage, Foods and Other Substances:

     The chief adulterants of pepper are: excess of mineral matter (sand, etc.) starch (chiefly rice), long pepper, added husk, and ground olive stones or pepperette or poivrette.

2. A small receptacle with a perforated top used for dispensing pepper or similar spices; pepper shaker.
   • 1892, Bazaar Exchange and Mart, and Journal of the Household:

     The idea is also applied to spices, such as ginger, mace, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, &c., a household box of pepperettes, containing six assorted spices of the best quality, costing 1s. 3d.

   • 1922, Annie Butterworth, Manual of Household Work and Management, page 120:

     Small cruets, or pepperettes, salt cellars, and quaint mustard pots are placed at the corners ; or, if available, near each person.

   • 1980, James Thomas Herbert Baily, The Connoisseur: An Illustrated Magazine for Collectors:

     The pepperette is cast as a begging pug dog, the salt as a bear: both have decoratively pierced pull-off heads .

   • 1988, Stephen Helliwell, Collecting small silverware, page 65:

     The 'bun pepperette' had a baluster-shaped body, but the steeply- domed pierced lid was replaced by a much smaller lid, usually with relatively simple piercing, reducing the overall height quite considerably to create an altogether squatter appearance.

3. A snack product made of meat spiced with hot pepper
   • 1968, Records & Briefs:

     Out of the case, the meat case across the back of the store which had pepperettes, bologna, cold cuts, cheeses, steaks, chops, hams, all sorts of items.

   • 1996, Meat Business Magazine - Volumes 57-58, page 251:

     At left: Gerard Stemmler, owner, with a smoke house truck (rack) of pepperettes.

   • 2004, Edo Van Belkom, Wolf Pack, page 30:

     Tora bit into a pepperette and tore the meat stick apart with a hard jerk of her hand.

   • 2017, Arlene McFarlane, Murder, Curlers, and Canes: A Valentine Beaumont Mystery:

     I grabbed a spicy pepperette to snack on, then locked up the house and drove to Rueland Retirement.

4. A mild small red capsicum.
   • 2002, Mietta O'Donnell, Mietta's Italian Family Recipes, page 106:

     Gently fry the tomatoes in olive oil and put the pepperette in whole.

   • 2013, Tess Pennington, The Prepper's Cookbook:

     Salsa, sliced pepperette, pickle relish, yellow mustard

Usage notes

The adulterant for ground peppercorns was originally a brand name that became genericized.