Sichuan cooking is one of the most complex, sophisticated, and flavorful cuisines in the world–that's not an opinion, it's a fact. As one of China's Eight Great Cuisines, the inimitable culinary culture of this southwestern Chinese province is so spectacular that in 2011 Sichuan's capital city, Chengdu, was recognized as UNESCO's second ever City of Gastronomy. Responsible for bringing dishes like hot-pot, dan dan noodles, and mapo tofu to the global stage, Sichuan food is known for balancing big spice with pungent aromatics, as well as mind-blowing, mouth-numbing goodness courtesy of one special ingredient: the electrifying Sichuan peppercorn. What are Sichuan Peppercorns? For starters, they're not actually peppers. Unlike the red chiles that are also ubiquitous to Sichuan cooking, these petite "peppercorns" are actually the berries of the prickly ash tree, which is a member of the citrus family. Harvested only once a year in the late summer, these ti