Allspice, also called Jamaica pepper, Myrtle pepper, Pimento, or Newspice, is a spice which is the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. The name "allspice" was coined by the English, who thought it combined the flavour of several spices, such as cloves, pepper, and even cinnamon and nutmeg.

(Note however, that the name pimento is also used for a certain kind of large, red, heart-shaped sweet pepper that measures 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. The flesh of this pimiento -- the Spanish word for "pepper" -- is sweet, succulent and more aromatic than that of the red bell pepper... These Pimientos are the familiar red stuffing found in quality green olives.)

Flavour

Allspice has a complex aroma, which is where it gets its name allspice from. It is an aromatic spice that tastes like a combination of cinnamon and cloves, but hotter and more peppery.

It's as hot as peppers between 100 and 500 su on the Scoville scale.

History

Allspice originated in Jamaica, and was probably first found by Spanish explorers in Jamaica near the beginning of the 16th century. It was slowly exported into Europe after that. It is still almost exclusively grown in Jamaica, although some other Central American countries do grow a little.

Preparation/Form

The common form is as the dried fruit and it can be easily found in this form as well as ground. Grinding the whole spice oneself provides the strongest flavour and the longest shelf life. Fresh leaves are also used where available: they're leathery like bay leaves, so they should be put into food while it's cooking and removed before serving (they lose too much flavor to be used dry). The leaves and wood are often used for smoking meats where allspice is a local crop.

Uses

Allspice is one of the most important ingredients in Caribbean cooking. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (The wood is used to smoke jerk in Jamaica, but the spice is a good substitute), in mole sauces, and in pickling; it can also be found in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders. Allspice is commonly used in Great Britain and appears in many dishes. Even in many countries where allspice is not very popular in the household, such as Germany, it is used in large amounts by commercial sausage makers.

Recipes

Culture

Allspice is a small shrubby tree that's quite similar to the bay laurel in size and form. It can be grown outdoors in the tropics and subtropics with normal garden soil and watering as long as it's protected from frost (though older plants are more frost-tolerant). It also adapts well to container culture. Male and female blossoms grow on separate trees, so one must have at least one male and one female tree in order to produce berries.