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Allspice, also
called Jamaica pepper, Myrtle pepper,
Pimento, or Newspice, is a spice which is
the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica
plant. The name "allspice" was coined by the
English, who thought it combined the flavour
of several spices, such as cloves, pepper,
and even cinnamon and nutmeg.
(Note however, that the name pimento is also
used for a certain kind of large, red,
heart-shaped sweet pepper that measures 3 to
4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. The
flesh of this pimiento—the Spanish word for
"pepper"—is sweet, succulent and more
aromatic than that of the red bell pepper.
These Pimientos are the familiar red
stuffing found in quality green olives.)
Flavour
Allspice has a complex aroma, hence its
name. It is an aromatic spice with a taste
similar to a combination of cinnamon and
cloves, but hotter and more peppery. It
reportedly scores between 100 and 500 su on
the Scoville scale of hotness (most often
used for chile peppers).
History
Allspice originated in Jamaica, and was
probably first found by Spanish explorers in
Jamaica near the beginning of the 16th
century. It was slowly introduced into
Europe after that. It is still almost
exclusively grown in Jamaica, although some
other Central American countries produce it
in small amounts.
Preparation / Form
Allspice is most commonly sold as whole
dried fruits or as a powder. The whole
fruits have a longer shelf-life than the
powdered product and produce a more aromatic
product when freshly ground before use.
Fresh leaves are also used where available:
they are similar in texture to bay leaves
and are thus infused during cooking and then
removed before serving. Unlike bay leaves,
they lose much flavour when dried and
stored. The leaves and wood are often used
for smoking meats where allspice is a local
crop.
Uses
Allspice is one of the most important
ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. It is used
in Caribbean jerk seasoning (the wood is
used to smoke jerk in Jamaica, although the
spice is a good substitute), in mole sauces,
and in pickling; it is also an ingredient in
commercial sausage preparations and curry
powders. Allspice is commonly used in Great
Britain and appears in many dishes. Even in
many countries where allspice is not very
popular in the household, such as Germany,
it is used in large amounts by commercial
sausage makers.
Culture
Allspice is a small shrubby tree, quite
similar to the bay laurel in size and form.
It can be grown outdoors in the tropics and
subtropics with normal garden soil and
watering. Smaller plants can be killed by
frost, although larger plants are more
tolerant. It adapts well to container
culture and can be kept as a houseplant or
in a greenhouse. The plant has separate
sexes, hence male and female plants must be
kept in proximity in order to allow fruits
to develop. |
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