Pimenta diodica

Allspice is originally from the Caribbean and tropical Central America. Columbus found it growing on the Caribbean Islands while thinking he had found peppercorn - pimento. That name was later changed to Jamaica peppercorn because most of the crop, and especially the best quality of allspice, still comes from that island.

Allspice is the only important spice that still, for the most part, comes from that region and is therefore the only spice that grows exclusively in the "New World".

Whole dried Jamaican allspice berries have the highest percentage of essential oils that determine its flavor.

One of the main components of the oil is eugenol, which is also a key spice element in cloves.

FLAVOR

Allspice has a pleasant warm, fragrant aroma. The name refers to the spicy taste reminiscent of a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Most of the flavor is in the berry skin itself.

USED ARE dried berries.

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

Allspice can be bought whole or ground. Whole berries, which resemble large brown pepper berries, are always recommended. They are easily crushed when the need arises, and whole berries can be kept in a closed container for many years.

USE IN COOKING

Long before the discovery of America, the peoples of the Caribbean islands used allspice to prolong the shelf life of meat and fish. In Jamaica, it is still used as an important ingredient in jerk mixes (pastes) that are rubbed onto chicken, meat or fish before grilling.

It is widely used, crumbled, in various breads, soups, stews and curries.

In Europe, allspice is used either whole for pickling or ground in cakes, desserts, spreads and fruit pies. Allspice enhances the aroma of pineapples, plums, blackcurrants and apples.

Most of the world harvest goes to the food industry for the production of ketchup and other industrial sauces, sausages, meat pies, Scandinavian pickled herring and sauerkraut.

IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR Jerk paste.

IT IS GOOD WITH eggplants, most fruits, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and other root vegetables.

COMBINES WELL WITH chili, cloves, coriander, garlic, ginger, mace, mustard, pepper, rosemary, thyme.