Allspice | whole

We owe the discovery of pimento to Christopher Columbus. The search for a new route to India led him to the Caribbean. When the brown grains were discovered, pepper was thought to have been found, and so the seafarers named this new spice ¨Pimienta¨. The aromatic berries are reminiscent of nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and cloves. Therefore pimento is also known as Allspice, or because of its origin also as Jamaica pepper. The berries come from the evergreen pepper myrtle, which reaches heights of over 10 metres. The berries are harvested unripe. This is the only way to preserve the essential oils of the fruits. Pimento is very versatile in the kitchen. Pimento is used in seasoning mixtures, in sausage production, meat dishes, pastries and baked goods, game and stews. Because of its similar character, the spice can be used instead of cloves or nutmeg. Pimento is often combined with laurel or other pepper varieties.