The spice this month is Allspice. Dark reddish brown berries similar to
peppercorns in size - part of the myrtle family
It is also known as
Jamaican pepper - but is not a pepper. Jamaica is the most prolific producer of
allspice.
From West Indies,
central and South America
This spice is called
allspice because it tastes like a combination of cloves cinnamon and nutmeg -
but it isn't. It has a sweet but peppery
flavour.
Allspice used to be used
by pirates in leaf form to treat toothache.
It was also used by seafarers to preserve fish and meat.
Allspice was used by the
Aztecs to flavour their daily chocolate drink
Allspice is at its best
when freshly ground. It keeps well in
whole dried berry form as long as you keep it away from light and air.
Try adding allspice to
soups and stews in berry form or add a pinch of ground allspice to pureed root
vegetables. But be warned it is very
potent and needs to be used sparingly.
Allspice is an
ingredient in Benedictine and Chartreuse and is a popular ingredient in mulled
wine.
In English cooking its
main use is in marinades and pickling mixtures for herrings, salt beef, pickled
pork etc
Try popping a few
allspice into your peppermill.
BIBLIOGRAPHY - with thanks to Auckland Libraries
Cook's Encyclopaedia
of Spices by Sallie Morris & Lesley Mackley
Discovering
Vegetables, Herbs & Spices by Susanna Lyle
Spice Market by Jane
Lawson
Spicery by Ian &
Elizabeth Hemphill
Spices & Natural
Flavourings by Jennifer Mulherin
Spices by Sophie
Grigson
Spices Condiments and
Seasonings by Kenneth T Farrell
Spices, Salt and
Aromatics in the English Kitchen by Elizabeth David
The Cook's Companion
by Stephanie Alexander
I love allspice!
ReplyDeletein my mom's cooking, which was primarily Greek, Allspice is used in both savory and sweet recipes and it is wonderful!
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