Allspice

Allspice: History and Complete Culinary Guide

Allspice (Pimenta dioica) is the dried, unripe berry of a tree native to Jamaica and Central America — the only major spice produced exclusively in the New World. Columbus encountered it in the Caribbean in 1492 and brought it back to Europe, where it was called "pimento" (from the Spanish for pepper). The English name "allspice" reflects its remarkable flavour combination of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper simultaneously — as though all the major warm spices were present in a single berry. Jamaica produces the world's finest allspice and the spice is absolutely central to Jamaican cooking: jerk seasoning cannot exist without allspice (which along with Scotch bonnet is the defining flavour of jerk); Jamaican patties, rice and peas, and meat preparations all use it. In Scandinavian and Central European cooking, allspice appears in pickled fish (gravadlax typically includes allspice in the cure), sausages, and spiced breads. In Middle Eastern and North African cooking, allspice (known as baharat in Arabic) is a primary component of the complex spice blends central to the region's cooking.

Culinary Uses

Use whole allspice berries in pickling brines, in slow-braised meats, and in Jamaican rice and peas. For jerk seasoning: allspice is the cornerstone — blend with Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, garlic, and spring onion as a wet marinade for chicken or pork. Ground allspice in Christmas cake, mince pies, and mulled wine blends. Use in Scandinavian-style meat preparations and fish cures. Add one or two berries to a bouquet garni for stock or braise. In Middle Eastern meatballs (kofta), baharat blend with allspice produces characteristic warmth.