Allspice
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Allergens
Absent, except for cross-contamination.
May contain traces of sesame, celery, mustard, soy. - Origin Honduras
- Storage / Use In a cool, dark, dry place.
Olivier Rœllinger's words
I use it regularly to flavor chutneys, fruit compotes, gingerbread, and spice cakes. This ‘pepper cousin’ is also an indispensable seasoning in shellfish broths and langoustine or lobster sauces.
A few allspice berries are all it takes to season a court-bouillon broth. You can also crush the berries and sprinkle them over fish before it goes in the oven.
Story
Allspice berries (Pimenta dioica) are also called ‘myrtle pepper’ ‘pimenta’ and occasionally ‘four-spice pepper’ because they taste like a combination of pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
The 5mm berries ripen on trees with large, shiny leaves. They are gathered while they are still green, then dried in the sun for several days when they turn a reddish-brown. Allspice berries are native to Central America and the Antilles. They are also cultivated in Honduras and Mexico and have made their way to southern India.