Spice
Allspice
Also called pimento, Jamaican allspice
The dried berry of Pimenta dioica — Jamaican pimento — not a jar of mixed spice and not a blend of cloves plus cinnamon. One berry already smells like that trio. Jerk and rice-and-peas lean on it; a pumpkin-pie hand will overshoot if you treat it like cinnamon.
Origin
Native to Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, where it is still the backbone of jerk. The name is English colonial; the cooking is not. Ground allspice in a European cake spice is a later borrowing.
Flavour
Clove, cinnamon and nutmeg in one hit, with a peppery warmth. Whole berries are brighter; pre-ground allspice turns into dusty wood within months.
How it is made
Unripe berries are picked and sun-dried until they rattle. They look like large brown peppercorns. Grind only what you need; the oils vanish fast once the husk is broken.
How to use it
Toast whole berries in a dry pan until they smell loud, then grind for a jerk marinade with thyme, scotch bonnet and spring onion. A berry or two in rice and peas, fished out like a bay leaf, is enough. In baking, start with a pinch — it dominates. Do not substitute 'mixed spice' and call it jerk. Black pepper plus clove is a desperate stand-in, not the same fruit.
Storage
Whole berries in a dark jar keep for years. Ground allspice should be bought in small bags and replaced when it smells faint. Keep it away from the steam of the kettle.
Recipes using it
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