Also known as:
All spice, Jamaica pepper, Pimento

Description
Allspice is a spice which is the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant, a tree native to the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America. It gets the name "allspice" since it has an aromatic flavour of several aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The fruit is picked when it is green and unripe and traditionally dried in the sun. When dry, the fruits are brown and resemble large brown peppercorns. The whole fruits have a longer shelf life than the powdered product and produce a more aromatic product when freshly ground before use.
All spice powder/ ground all spice is nothing but freshly ground dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant.

How to select
Select unripe fruits which are green in colour. Once dried, they will turn brown in colour and resemble peppercorns.

Culinary Uses
1. Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. It is used in their cuisine in pickling and also as an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders.
2. Allspice is also indispensable in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in the Levant where it is used to flavor a variety of stews and other dishes.
3. In Palestinian cuisine, many main dishes call for allspice as the sole spice added for flavoring.
4. In the US and Great Britain, it is used mostly in desserts including cakes.
5. Allspice is also a main flavor used in barbecue sauces. In the West Indies, an allspice liqueur called "pimento dram" is produced.
How to Store
Store the powder in a air-tight container in a cool dry place.


Health Benefits
1. Volatile oils found in the plant contain eugenol, a weak antimicrobial agent.
2. Allspice is also said to provide relief for indigestion and gas.