Maybe even grains of paradise? But maybe if you don't have sichuan peppercorns you don't have any of the other exotic spices/berries? I bought my sichuan peppercorns from Penzey's as well.
I agree there's no real substitute for as unique a flavor as these but for some je ne sais quois I like cardamon, pink peppercorns, long pepper, tonka bean and/or white peppercorns.
It depends on what flavor combinations you are working on. If you want you can order sichuan peppercorns from Penzy's. The flavor is essential to the classic Chinese "five spice" but depending on the dish black or white peppercorns might work.
sichuan peppercorns have a very unique flavor that I'm not sure you can easily duplicate. They are not heat, but a flowery pungent flavor. I might just leave them out.
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