ALLSPICE
The taste and smell of allspice are what led to its name. Pungent and fragrant, allspice is not a blend of spices, but its taste and aroma are reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. The warm, sweet flavor lends itself to a variety of food and it is commonly used in both savory and sweet recipes. Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of the Pimenta dioca evergreen tree. After drying, the berries are small, brown balls just larger than peppercorns. Christopher Columbus discovered allspice in the Caribbean, although he was seeking pepper. Back in Spain it was given the name “pimienta,” which is Spanish for pepper. In today’s spice trade, allspice is sometimes referred to as pimento. Folklore suggest that...
