If you have children, nieces or nephews, you might sometimes find yourself being asked the question, “ewwww! what are those black spots?” Hopefully you’re more patient than I and can abstain from launching into a half-hour lecture of why pepper is essential for flavor and heat (OCD definitely has its moments) and turn it into some cool idea that will make the child want to eat it! Otherwise, enter white pepper. Personally, I can tell a slight flavor difference, but I think I am one of the odd [wo]men out, as most others can’t tell at all. It is simply the black peppercorn, of which the outer [black] shell has been removed, prior to grinding. The advantages are that you still get the heat and flavor, while not having the flecks. It works great in any dish that is lighter in colored, such as macaroni and cheese (homemade, of course!), au gratin potatoes, mashed taters, etc.
Maybe I have weird tastebuds, but white pepper smells like old socks to me. I just can’t use it. At first I thought it was because I had crappy product, but I went to a Penzey’s and smelled theirs, and still didn’t like it (although theirs wasn’t as bad).
There is a difference, I think. I definitely use both kinds of pepper in my scrambled and deviled eggs. But watch out because if you use too much it will defintely ruin your dish. I think the first time I really became familiar with it was when I made Hot and Sour soup. A lot of Asian dishes seem to call for it. To me it is not hot, but it is different than the whole pepper.