The Spice of Many Disguises

The Spice of Many Disguises

Allspice  (Pimenta dioica) is a tree native to Mexico, Central America and the  Greater Antilles, which produces a commonly traded spice from dried  unripe berries.

The  name “Allspice” refers to the belief that it contains the flavors of  Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves—and some people also think Juniper Berries  and Pepper, as well.

Allspice  looks like peppercorns when they are dried, and in fact Columbus  incorrectly guessed (as he did with other things!) that it indeed was  pepper, and brought it back to Spain who became the first country to  import Allspice.

For centuries the Spaniards called Allspice “pepper” because of this, and today it is still sometimes called Jamaican Pepper.

Pirates  and sailors used to cure their meats with Allspice, which they would  call boucan, and it is why they were eventually called “buccaneers”.

Mayans  used to embalm their ancestors with Allspice, and today it is still  used in cosmetics for its antioxidant “preserving” value. 😉

Allspice  is used in a variety of spice mixtures and cuisines around the world  today, is one of the main ingredients of Jamaican Jerk, and also used in  pickling mixes, relish, sauces, sausages, ketchup, meatballs, cookies  and cakes, and curing meat.

Where  Allspice is grown, the leaves are also used with a similar texture and  use as Bay leaves, and the leaves and wood also used for smoking meats.

Allspice  is used traditionally for improving digestion, circulation, mood  enhancement, pain relief, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory  indications.

Allspice  has confirmed activities including antimicrobial, antiquorum,  anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase, anticancer, hypotensive,  antineuralgic, and analgesic.

With  unique names in over 50 languages, Allspice feels like a spice of many  identities and disguises, with flavors, activities, and uses to match.

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*This  post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose,  cure or treat any disease. Always seek medical advice directly through  consultation with a health professional.

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