Spice Nest
What follows is a Spice Nest article that looks at the spice Allspice and some of its uses.
Allspice
Allspice is often mistakenly believed to be a mixture of spices by those who have only known it in ground form. In actual fact, allspice is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. This fruit is picked when green and unripe, then traditionally sun-dried. The dry allspice fruits are brown and closely resemble large brown peppercorns.
Allspice is commonly sold either as a powder or as whole dried fruits. The whole fruits naturally have a longer shelf-life than the powdered version and when freshly ground before use will produce a more aromatic spice. The fresh leaves can also used in cooking and they are similar in texture to bay leaves. The leaves are infused during cooking but removed before serving. Unlike bay leaves, Pimenta dioica leaves lose much of their flavour when dried and stored. Where allspice is a locally harvested crop, the leaves and wood are often used for smoking meats. Allspice is also available in essential oil form.
Allspice is an important ingredient of Caribbean cuisine and is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning, mole sauces and also in pickling. Allspice is an ingredient in some curry powders and also in commercial sausage preparations.
Allspice is heavily used in Middle Eastern cuisine, noteably in the Levant where it adds flavor to a variety of meat dishes and stews. In Palestinian cuisine, many of the main dishes use allspice as the only spice added for flavouring.
In America, allspice is used a lot in desserts. It is also responsible for the distinctive flavour and aroma of Cincinnati-style chili. Allspice is also commonly used in Great Britain in many dishes, including cakes and sweetbreads. In countries where allspice is so popular a spice in the household, for instance Germany, it is used by commercial sausage makers in large amounts. Allspice is also a common flavouring in barbecue sauces.
From a health angle, allspice is known to provide some relief from indigestion and flatulence.
Janice White
Spice Nest
