Lemon pepper facts for kids
Lemon pepper is a popular seasoning that adds a zesty, peppery kick to many foods. It's made from two main ingredients: the bright yellow peel (called zest) of lemons and crushed black peppercorns. This mix is often used to flavor poultry (like chicken), seafood, and even pasta.
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What is Lemon Pepper?
Lemon pepper is a special blend of flavors. It combines the fresh, tangy taste of lemon with the warm, spicy kick of black pepper. Imagine the sunny flavor of lemon meeting the bold taste of pepper – that's lemon pepper! It's a great way to make your meals more exciting.
How Lemon Pepper is Made
Making lemon pepper involves a clever process. First, the zest (the colorful outer skin) of lemons is carefully removed. This zest is then mixed with cracked black peppercorns. The key step is mashing them together. This mashing helps the natural oils from the lemon zest soak into the pepper, giving it that wonderful citrus smell and taste. After mixing, the blend is often baked and dried to create the seasoning you find in jars.
The Story of Lemon Pepper
Lemon pepper seasoning became available in stores in July 1967. A product engineer named William Shoffeitt created it. He developed his "Enhance Seasoners" in Healdsburg, California. At first, this all-purpose seasoning was mostly sold along the West Coast of the United States. But it quickly became popular through special trade shows and was sold in big department stores like Sears and JCPenney.
What's Inside Lemon Pepper?
You can easily buy lemon pepper in small jars at the grocery store, or you can even make it at home! While the original recipe was a secret, today's commercial lemon pepper often includes other ingredients. Besides lemon zest and black pepper, you might find small amounts of salt, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and citric acid (which adds more sourness). Sometimes, it also has extra lemon flavor, a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat, or other spices to make the flavor even richer.
See also
In Spanish: Pimienta con limón para niños
