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I actually like both white and black peppers.

However, if you don't like it, black should be just fine. Many recipes tell you to use the white because of the color. If you're doing a very pale or white sauce, some people might think the black specks in it would look bad. but there's some TV chef who agrees with you, and uses black pepper for everything. Can't think of who it is, offhand.

As far as presentation, I don't think the black specks matter all that much. Most sauces have other bits in there, anyway, and if you needed it to be stark white with nothing else in there, you could leave the pepper out entirely.

Have you tried green peppercorns? Not that I'm suggesting it as a substitute, but it would give you a different pepper option once in a while.

You are not alone!

I abhor the smell and taste of white pepper. It's really quite revolting. I just use black pepper, it's so much more pleasant.

In a lot of cases, its a cosmetic thing. They call for white pepper so there will be no little black bits in the food. I'd rather the black bits than that weird unpleasant smell....

I use it in scalloped potatoes because I always have, and I love them. However, I never use it in anything else because I like other peppers better. I guess it is just habit and being accustomed to it in that recipe. Maybe I'll try a different pepper next time and see if I can pitch the old white pepper!

White pepper is only needed in white sauce so i hate to waste my very limited pantry space on a one use item that isn't very tasty.

aww, sad to hear it - I love white pepper, grew up eating it in many different Chinese dishes. :)

I love white pepper. Maybe it's an acquired taste, I remember hating it when I was a kid. While it often is an aesthetic thing as mentioned above, it's distinctive flavor is also the reason why it is used. But as with any ingredient, if it really bothers you that much, don't use it.

@cybercita The NY Times article you linked is about the peppery quality of Shiraz wine, not about white pepper at all. Confused. . .

Count me in the "hate it" group. I really liked the follow up to the Times article. I've always thought that white pepper tastes like "decay," and now I know why. I don't use it at home, but have been unpleasantly surprised by it in restaurant dishes on several occasions.

I was a black pepper junkie - until cooking school. Got to really love white pepper but I agree with ^ sentiments - it smelled like elephants when I started using it. I also didn't like the smell of goat cheese when I first tried it but that didn't stop me from liking the taste.

I tend to use white pepper in light colored sauces so it doesn't look like there's dirt in my sauce.

@JustNancy - funny you should say this. I think I've mentioned this someplace recently, my Gran used to tell me, "Tastes differ. You should respect other people's tastes and never say "yuck" or "gross" about food, but you certainly may say that you dislike something". I still remember that, and I understand what you're saying.

Back on topic - I actually don't feel so strongly about white pepper. I probably wouldn't list it as one of my favourite spices, but I don't mind it either, and I do use it on occasion in some Chinese dishes. I was really surprised to learn that white pepper could evoke such strong feelings:-).

@JustNancy- huh? Cultural component? I didn't realize my dislike for white pepper made me culturally insensitive. Does the same judgment hold true for folks who hate cilantro?

I think you're being a bit oversensitive.