Advantage of Freshly Ground Spices There are many benefits to freshly grinding pepper, salt, herbs and spices for cooking and seasoning. A quality mill with a specifically designed grinding mechanism will release the aromas and essential oils of that spice. Freshly ground pepper and spices have more aroma and better flavor than pre- ground. Another advantage of using freshly ground spices or minerals (salts) is the control a mill provides for determining the coarseness (size) of a grind. A high quality pepper, salt or spice mill gives you the ability to choose and change the coarseness according to taste or necessity. How to Choose a Good Mill When looking for a pepper, salt or spice grinder, consider the following: Grinding mechanism: Choose a grinding mechanism that can withstand daily use: one that is well made and produces a consistent grind. Ideally, the grinding mechanism should be designed to handle a specific spice, as each spice has different physical characteristics that will benefit from different design features. Design and appearance: Whether it's traditional or modern, manual or electric, a mill can be an indispensable tool in your kitchen and a beautiful part of table. Ease of Use: A quality mill should be easy to adjust, easy to fill, and feel comfortable in the hand. History of Peugeot Peugeot's story starts in the 19th century when the Peugeot brothers converted the family's gristmill into a steel foundry. They began producing award winning hand tools immediately after opening and went on to produce a diverse range of exceptional quality products including small appliances, bicycles and most notably, automobiles. (Although now operating as a separate company, the Peugeot car company continues the same commitment to quality and innovation that is a Peugeot hallmark). In 1840 Peugeot created their burr style coffee grinder and adopted that design to accommodate peppercorns in 1874. The resulting pepper mechanism design is still used today in every Peugeot pepper mill. Peugeot's iconic pepper grinding mechanism design is often copied, but never equaled. Today, Peugeot offers six unique spice-specific mechanisms plus the original burr-style coffee grinder. There are no shortcuts: each mechanism is designed to get the most out of the spices they are intended for. After more than 160 years, Peugeot mills and grinders remain the benchmark of the industry and have earned their position as the mill of choice in world class kitchens. It's All About the Mechanism The primary difference between Peugeot and all other brands are the spice-specific mechanisms. Peugeot has 7 unique spice specific mechanisms for pepper, salt, herbs and spices, coffee, wet salt, chili peppers and nutmeg. For each spice, there is one - and only one - Peugeot grinding mechanism, each made of the ideal design and constructed from the best material available for its intended use. Peugeot's Pepper Grinding Mechanism is a two stage burr-style system. During production, the helix-shaped grooves and grinding teeth of the pepper mechanism are individually cut before the steel is case hardened to make it virtually indestructible. The mechanism is then given a proprietary treatment to provide additional protection against corrosion. During use, the helix- shaped grooves guide whole peppercorns through the mechanism to crack, then grind to a consistent size by a double row of teeth. This process releases the pepper's essential oils, resulting in more flavor and aroma for your dish. This patented mechanism is found on every Peugeot Pepper mill and is widely considered the best pepper mechanism available Peugeot's Salt Crushing Mechanism features two ribbed plates which work to fracture and crush coarse, dry sea salt to a consistent size. The salt grinding mechanism is made of corrosion resistant Stainless Steel, and is found on every Peugeot Salt Mill. A Peugeot Innovation u'Select is Peugeot's patented grind control system for electric and manual grinders. Beyond personal preferences, different stages of the preparation / cooking process and different dishes often call for seasonings of varying sizes. Peugeot now offers the ability to quickly, easily and accurately adjust the grind settings with its patented u'Select system. From coarsely ground pepper or salt to very fine, u'Select offers: -6 pre-defined levels of grind for pepper, or any point in between. -6 pre-defined levels of grind for salt, or any point in between. Simplicity: just turn the ring at the base of the mill and select your grind size. The further you turn the ring, the finer or coarser the grind, depending on the direction turned. Precision: no risk that the grind will change during use. The right grind: You are assured that with each setting, the grind will be consistent, time after time. Fine or coarse grind-is it just a question of taste? Actually it depends on personal taste and the dish being prepared. While personal taste plays a role, some dishes call for coarse salt or pepper, whereas others require either or both to be finely ground. A finer grind will be used for a delicate sauce or mixed raw vegetables and a coarse grind for grilling a steak or when making heartier meats and dishes. Anatomy of u'Select Mills These mills feature the innovative u'Select system. u'Select mills have the same renowned grinding mechanisms, beauty and functionality as classic Peugeot mills with an additional feature of easy grind selection. When you want to adjust the grind of your salt/pepper to more coarse or fine, you simply turn the u'Select ring at the base of the mill. You can select one of six pre-marked positions, or any point in between, for infinite possibilities. Your selection will not move or change until you want it to. Manual MillsFor best grinding results: hold the mill body steady and turn mill top in a clockwise direction only Electric Mills Press the Power switch to grind pepper or salt. Light will illuminate underneath mill when power switch is pressed. u'Select Ring:The narrower the wedge, the finer the grind. Which pepper and which salt can be used in Peugeot Mills? Pepper: To get the best results, we recommend you to use only dry, hard, whole peppercorns that are 5 mm (1/4") or less in diameter. Black, white and dry green peppercorns can be ground in Peugeot pepper mills. Pink peppercorns can be ground only if in a blend (max 15% pink) with one of these other peppercorns. Dried coriander seeds are also suitable for the pepper mechanism. Salt: To get the best out of your Peugeot salt grinding mechanism, you should use: dry salt, ideally with a diameter of 4 mm (0.16") such as coarse sea salt or rock salt (salt mined from an underground salt seam). Do not use your Peugeot salt mill for grinding pepper or any other spice, or damp sea salt (also known as grey salt, Guerande, Re, etc.) The moisture content is so high in damp salt that it will corrode the mill. Use a Peugeot Wet Salt mill with a mechanism specifically designed for damp salt. Its shape and materials have been designed to resist salt corrosion.