Original: "Black poivre. Crush ginger and charred bread and pepper, moisten with vinegar and verjuice, and boil (The Viander of Taillevent,edited by Scully, 227, translated in The Medieval Kitchen, Redon et al.)"

• 12 slices dark bread, burnt (I used rye with caraway)
• Equal parts cider vinegar and cider (2 c.?) approximation for verjuice -- or verjuice
• 2 c. wine vinegar
• 10 Tb peppercorns, coarsely ground
• 3 Tbsp powdered ginger
• 3 Tbsp salt

Crush up the charred bread into bread crumbs, grind up the pepper (use fresh-ground) and mix with powdered ginger. Mix this with the vinegars and add salt. Bring to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Keeps at least a week refrigerated.