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The peppercorn plant is native to the tropical evergreen rain forests of Kerala, South India. From here it spread along the emerging trade routes to the developing civilizations and empires of Rome and Greece in the West and the Byzantine, Ottoman and many other Asian empires in the East. This spice was not just a luxury; it was a highly-prized luxury, used only by the wealthier classes up until the early 1800s when it became more available. Europe's early explorers were looking primarily for pepper when they set off in the wrong direction and accidentally found the New World on their "shortcut" to Asia. Exporting black pepper can be challenging. The cheaper qualities are available at most supermarkets. These are generally inferior to the better qualities you'll find at an outlet dedicated to spices. Buy one or two different organic brands to taste and see which you prefer. Malabar and Tellicherry grade pepper are considered amongst the finest. - The French add who