Allspice is made from ground pimento berries.
Pimento berries are the dried unripe fruit of the pimento tree. They resemble large peppercorns and have brown, wrinkled skin. When you grind them up, you get the seasoning known as allspice. Allspice smells and tastes like a combination of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and cloves and is a common ingredient in Caribbean and other cuisines.
Pimenta Plant
Pimento trees get their name from the Spanish word for peppercorn, pimenta. This plant thrives in tropical climates. As it grows, it starts to resemble a canopy tree and pimento berries emerge. You pick pimento berries when they are unripe and allow them to dry in the sun. Once dried, you can use them whole or ground them to make allspice seasoning.
Medicinal Properties
Pimento berries have similar benefits to cloves when used medicinally. Pimento increases blood flow throughout the body by expanding blood vessels, helps your digestive system to work more efficiently and alleviates pain associated with sore muscles or arthritis when added to a hot bath. The oil of pimento berries has antimicrobial properties and alleviates body odor. It is also used for aromatherapy and is a popular ingredient in many oils, perfumes and colognes.
Popular Recipes
Allspice is a key ingredient in many Caribbean foods, particularly jerk chicken, spice cake, barbecue sauce, gingerbread and pudding. You can include whole pimento berries in fish dishes, vegetable stocks and soups. Germans include large amounts of allspice in their staple German sausage, and in Great Britain, allspice is a staple in dessert dishes. Americans use allspice in dessert dishes as well, particularly apple and sweet potato pie.
Storage
Freshly ground pimento berries are highly aromatic. Ground allspice's pungency greatly diminishes with time, so freshly ground spice will give best results in recipes. Storing whole pimento berries in a glass container and using a coffee grinder to make allspice as needed is the best way to retain the spice's full flavor.
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