Allspice is a popular ingredient and the source of a unique sweet and spicy flavor that is reminiscent of a combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper. Allspice is derived from the dried unripe berry of the Pimenta dioica plant. The allspice berry is harvested when green, then dried in the sun. This gives allspice its distinctive dark brown color, wrinkled texture and unique aroma. Allspice goes well with many recipes, including jerking sauces, marinades, stewed fruit, pickles and tomato-based sauces.
Allspice berries can be stored in an airtight container for up to one year without losing their flavor or aroma. To preserve freshness it’s best to avoid exposure to light and heat. Ground allspice loses its flavor much more rapidly than whole berries. If you’ve purchased ground allspice for a specific recipe, transfer it to an airtight container after opening the original package. This will prevent oxidation from reducing its potency and flavor. Ground allspice should be used within six months of purchase or grinding whole berries as needed.
Allspice berries are used whole or ground in many recipes that call for pickling spices or pumpkin pie spice. The
Allspice is a popular ingredient in Caribbean cuisine. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (the wood is used to smoke jerk in Jamaica, although the spice is a good substitute), in moles, and in pickling; it is also an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders. Allspice is also indispensable in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in the Levant, where it is used to flavor a variety of stews and meat dishes. In Arab cuisine, for example, many main dishes call for allspice as the sole spice added for flavoring. In the United States, it is used mostly in desserts, but it is also responsible for giving Cincinnati-style chili its distinctive smell and flavor.
Allspice can also be substituted by ground cloves when omitted from a recipe.
The name “allspice” was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who thought it combined the flavour of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.[citation needed]
The allspice tree, classified as a shrub, can reach 10–18 metres (33–59 ft) high. Allspice can be a small, scrubby tree, quite similar to the bay laurel in size and form. It can also be a tall
Allspice is the dried berry of the pimento tree, a small evergreen native to Jamaica. Harvested when fully ripe, the berries are dried in the sun and can be used whole or ground. Allspice has a flavor that resembles a combination of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
The pimento tree can be found growing wild in tropical climates throughout the world. An evergreen that reaches up to 35 feet in height, it has glossy, deep green leaves with smooth edges and thin white flowers in bunches at its tips. Small, pea-sized red berries follow the flowers, and when mature they darken to a reddish-brown color. It takes about two years for allspice trees to reach maturity and begin bearing fruit.
The fresh berries were introduced to Europe by Spanish explorers who encountered them on the island of Hispaniola; from there it made its way to Jamaica where it was named pimento because of its resemblance to black pepper. In 1621 allspice was exported from Jamaica to England where it was named for its resemblance to several different spices.
Allspice is used in savory dishes and desserts throughout the world, with each culture putting its own spin on recipes that include this unique spice.
The allspice berry is the fruit of the pimento tree, a shrub native to the West Indies and Central America. The dried berries have traditionally been used as a spice, particularly in Caribbean cuisine. The allspice berry is the only spice that is grown exclusively in the Western Hemisphere.
The allspice berry is harvested from May to June when it is bright green. The berries are then dried and turn brown after several days. Allspice berries can be purchased whole or ground, but either way they should be stored in a cool, dark place (such as your refrigerator). Whole allspice berries can also be stored in vodka, which will extract their flavor.
Allspice has a complex flavor that some describe as similar to a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. It pairs well with both sweet and savory foods and adds depth to dishes ranging from barbecue sauces to pumpkin pie.
Allspice is the dried unripe fruit of Pimenta dioica, a mid-canopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico and Central America. If the allspice is harvested before it has fully ripened, it will have a sweeter flavor than if harvested in full maturity. The berries are picked by hand and traditionally dried in the sun. Once dried, they are referred to as “allspice berries”, which can be ground into an aromatic powder for seasoning.
The term “allspice” was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who thought it combined the flavour of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. It is also sometimes used to season British Christmas puddings. Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (the wood of the allspice tree gives jerk its smokey flavor), in mulled cider, mulled wine and other beverages, as well as in Caribbean stews and curries such as chicken or goat curry and pickling
Allspice is a spice made from the dried fruit of Pimenta dioica, a midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world. The name “allspice” was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who thought it combined the flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
The allspice tree grows to 33-50 ft (10-15 m) in height and has leathery, aromatic leaves similar to those of bay laurel. It produces small white flowers followed by large berries that mature green; they are harvested when fully ripe and then sun dried. The fruits are picked by hand and spread out on trays to dry whole in the sun or sometimes in an oven. The dried berries are brown and resemble large smooth peppercorns.
Allspice is used throughout the world’s cuisines but especially in Caribbean cooking (Jamaican jerk sauce), Middle Eastern cuisine (including Arab cuisine, Israeli cuisine, Turkish cuisine), Hungarian cuisine (goulash), German cuisine (sauerbraten), Scandinavian cuisine (pickled herring), and some American cuisine (chili con carne). In Britain, it is used
Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, a mid-canopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world. The name “allspice” was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who thought it combined the flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
The allspice tree is an evergreen that grows up to 33 feet in height. Allspice can be a small bushy specimen tree but is often pruned commercially to facilitate harvest. Its smooth bark is light gray while young and dark gray to brown on old branches. Its leaves are opposite and elliptical, dark green above and gold below.
The flowers are greenish-white; they appear singly or in pairs from the leaf axils or on short spikes near the ends of branches. The oval fruit begins green then ripens to deep purple-brown. Each fruit contains one hard seed that looks like a peppercorn; these are sometimes sold as “Jamaican pepper” (see below).
The region where allspice grows is subject to hurricanes and other tropical storms which cause significant damage to crops from time to time.