Allspice, a wonderful spice used in cooking

donna

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
Someone asked what is Allspice. I use this spice all the time in preparing different recipes.

Allspice trees grow in the West Indies and Central America. Jamaican Allspice also known as Pimento, is known as the quality product of the trade. It is a pea-sized berry that grows on a large evergreen tree. The only major spice grown exclusively in the western hemisphere, Allspice was unknown before the discovery of America. Other groves are found in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.

Allspice berries are picked while green and are sun-dried for about a week until they become dark reddish brown. The flavor of Allspice resembles a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; hence the name "Allspice". The name for the berries apparently dates from the time of early European explorers.

Whole Allspice is almost always used in pickling spice, and is often used in applesauce and other apple dishes. Spice cakes and fruit cakes contain Allspice. Allspice is an important source of flavor.

From: "A Handbook of Spices, Herbs, Seasonings and Flavorings by Durkee".
 
McCormick in their book "Spices of the World Cookbook", suggests using Allspice in soups, stews, pot roasts, sauerbraten, sauces, marinades, beverages, pickled beets, pickles, preserves, stewed fruit and in poaching, boiling or steaming fish.

Use ground Allspice in cakes, cookies, candy, frostings, plum pudding, fruit pies, mincemeat, fruit, meat loaf, Chile sauce, tomato sauce and barbecue sauce. It is also good in French dressing, sweet potatoes and squash.
 
trees grow in the West Indies and Central America. Jamaican Allspice also known as Pimento, is known as the quality product of the trade. It is a pea-sized berry that grows on a large evergreen tree. The only major spice grown exclusively in the western hemisphere, Allspice was unknown before the discovery of America. Other groves are found in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico..

thx, it's called piment here and widely used - i admit my first thought was some kind of one-spice-fits-all american invention :smile:
 
Donna. I believe that allspice is also a component in Chinese five spice powder. Its delicious in soups, stews and I like to mix it with other spices and put it on hamburgers before grilling them. Thanks for sharing the background information on this wonderful spice. David.
 
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