Peugeot pepper mills have a reputation for being the best in the world – slightly more expensive than other mechanisms, but in our view well worth the investment due to their reliability and strength. So we have now decided to fit them, and their salt mill mechanisms, in a version of our classic 4-inch (102mm) Capstan Pepper Mills and Salt Grinders.
They are chunkier than our standard mills to accommodate the mechanism. The Peugeot mechanism has a lifetime guarantee. It is designed specifically to deal with peppercorns; is made from the highest quality materials and because it provides a perfect grinding consistency time-after-time, is the choice of leading chefs worldwide.
Peugeot have been making pepper mills and coffee mills for longer than they have been making cars. In 1810 the Peugeot brothers converted the family mill to produce steel and since then Peugeot have made everything from saw blades to tools; sewing machines and penny-farthing bicycles. They didn’t start making cars until 1890.
Making the Peugeot Pepper Mill Mechanism
In 1842 one of their engineers designed a mechanism specifically designed to mill peppercorns – it is not suitable for milling other spices. It can be adjusted, enabling pepper to be ground to every requirement – roughly for a grilled steak to finely ground for delicate sauces.
The mills are made at Besançon, in South West France. A helix-shaped double row of teeth guides the peppercorns and holds them during grinding. The corns are cracked in half before the fine grinding process. The mill mechanism is made from case hardened steel, a tempering process that makes the grinding head as hard as a ball bearing and it is this, and the exact machining, that gives the mill its long term performance.
Within the mechanism, Peugeot create two different sized grooves, the first for channeling and the second for grinding. The channeling grooves line up the peppercorns and crack them, while the grinding grooves do the grinding to the selected fineness that you can choose by adjusting the button on the mill.
Generations of experience in making their pepper mills allows Peugeot to provide a lifetime guarantee – this does not cover normal wear and tear, misuse or accidental damage. Do not use it for grinding salt as salt is corrosive and can even damage the work of art that is the Peugeot pepper mill.
The Lion symbol that is today synonymous with Peugeot was first used on salt and pepper mills in 1850. The lion was chosen to symbolize the strength and quality of their pepper mills and tools.
Now, for the first time, we have married this industrial strength mechanism to the beauty of our handmade solid silver pepper mills. The mill bodies are made in our workshops by craftsmen using traditional skills and techniques the Peugeot family would have been familiar with 150 years ago. When completed they are sent to the London Assay Office for hallmarking and when returned, the body and the mechanism are finally united. The result is a pepper mill of exquisite beauty that will last for generations and become a family heirloom.
The companion piece to the Pepper Mill is the Peugeot Salt Mill. The mechanism is slightly different and is made from stainless steel so that it cannot be corroded by salt. It is designed to grind large grains of rock or sea salt and will deliver a coarse or fine grind when you adjust the button on the mill.
Here is the finished pepper mill – you will find it on our website at: Silver Peugeot Pepper Mill.
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