Confessions ...

I admit it, I have a deep personal commitment to black pepper ... well, all pepper really, but especially black. I put it on and in everything - I even like it in sweet things sometimes. I cannot and will not eat any soup without black pepper and I prefer it freshly ground. Needless to say, pepper mills are important to me. And, sadly, I have yet to find one I truly love.

Above you can see my (over-exposed) current pepper mills. Neither is exactly right. The small one is part of a salt and pepper set - and really, its kind of useless. It needs to be refilled every five minutes. I bought it because I was enticed by the brushed stainless steel exterior. I like shiny things! Its cute, but very high maintenance. (Not unlike myself.) On the plus side, it does a great job offering a variety of textures. It can grind the pepper very fine and also works well for course grinding. That's essential. If only it were larger, I might have found my ideal ... but, no.

On the right is my sexy Peugeot mill. I bought it when I finally got tired of filling the little guy. I adore the color and its nicely sized - it has yet to need refilling - but the grind is somewhat disappointing. For finely ground pepper its outstanding; perfect for use at table. As for course grinds, well its largely ineffective. Between the two, I'm covered, but the search continues.

The little guy is filled with standard black pepper and the Peugeot is currently full of an interesting mix: Swissmar's Connoisseur Peppercorn Blend which contains black, white, green and pink peppercorns from India, Brazil and Madagascar. I like it! Typically, I'm not a fan of pink peppercorns, but there are very few in this mix and their flavor doesn't stand out. The mixture is warm and spicy and perfect for at table finishing.

I'm happy with the peppercorn mix, but still on the hunt for my ideal pepper mill. Do you have a favorite that does it all? Shout it out in the comments and help a spicy Diva out!

Lastly, have you guessed my second confession? Perhaps you've been tipped off by my lack of response in the comments or on your own blog? Indeed, I am away from keyboard. I will respond to everything when I return and will be back to regular cooking and posting next Monday. Meanwhile, I've got some posts in the queue that are sure to keep you entertained. They will appear throughout the rest of this week, so stay tuned.

Have a great week and make it Divalicious!