Herbal Blessing: ALLSPICE

(Pimenta diocia)

Native to Jamaica and Central and South America, Allspice is the only spice that is grown exclusively in the Western Hemisphere. The Mayans used allspice as an embalming agent for important leaders and other South American Indians used it to flavor chocolate. Allspice is one of the spices discovered by Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean. First mistaken for a kind of pepper which is where the botanical name pimenta, Spanish for pepper, came from, it is sometimes referred to as Jamaica pepper, but the name allspice came from the fact that it tasted like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper. Jamaican allspice is considered superior and the Jamaicans have long believed it to be an aphrodisiac and make a tea with the berries and orange peel for someone special. During the Napoleonic War of 1812, Russian soldiers used allspice in their boots to keep their feet warm and before WWII, allspice was used extensively, however during the war many tress were cut and production never fully recovered.

Grown in full sun in a rich, loamy, acidic soil, the tree is a tropical evergreen closely related to the clove tree and you must have both male and female plants to get berries. The trees grow up to 100 feet and have smooth bark, dark green, leathery leaves and produce the green berries on the ends of the smaller branches which turn purple or red when ripe. These small branches are broken off only the female trees to collect the unripe berries and then sun-dried resulting in the dark reddish-brown spice which is about the size of a pea.

Peppercorn like in appearance, allspice has a mildly sweet flavor and a variety of uses. The dried fruits are used whole or ground into powder in both sweet and savory foods. The whole berries are used to add flavor to meats, stews and bean soups, plus are an important ingredient in marinades, pickling spices and mulling spices and make a pungent spicy tea. Remember to remove berries before serving as the flavor will taste bitter after the flavors have seeped out. Add a few whole allspice berries to your pepper grinder along with a mixture of peppercorns to create a unique seasoning blend. Whole allspice is also a great addition to potpourri or a hot bath for sore muscles. Ground allspice can be used as a substitute for cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg and conversely, combining the three makes a substitute for allspice. Particularly popular in European cooking, ground allspice has been traditionally used in cakes, pies and holiday puddings. In the Middle East, it’s used in meat and rice dishes, India uses it in curry blends and Caribbean cooking relies on allspice as the main ingredient in jerk seasoning. It adds a warm flavor to barbeque and tomato sauces as well as cooked winter vegetables such as squash and carrots plus it enhances simple desserts such as applesauce, oatmeal cookies and other baked goods such as Angel food cake. It can even be added to ground beef for unique hamburgers or meatloaf!

SPICE TIPS
Whole berries keep indefinitely if stored in airtight containers

It is best to grind whole berries as needed
rather than buy ground allspice which quickly loses its flavor

ALLSPICE RECIPES

SPICED APPLESAUCE
10 tart apples, peeled & quartered
3/4 cup sugar
1-3” stick cinnamon
1Tbs whole allspice
Place cinnamon and allspice in a muslin bag or tie in cheesecloth. Place apples & sugar in a pot, cover with at least 2” of water and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered for an hour, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 more hours. Serve warm of refrigerate until cold.

SAVORY SAUSAGE BITES: Cut 3lbs of kielbasa or bratwurst into 1" pieces and combine in slow cooker with 1 1/2c barbeque sauce, 2/3c orange marmalade, 1/2tsp dry mustard, 1/4tsp allspice. Cook on high 2-3hr. Stir in 1-8oz can pineapple chunks and serve.