Allspice should be renamed "MoSpice" or maybe "HeavenSpice" or even "FavSpice". Of all the hundreds of wholesale herbs and spices in our huge store at www.SharpWebLabs com and www.FloridaHerbHouse.com the one that we sell the most of around winter and holiday season is Allspice. What is it with this spice? Everyone seems to "ahhh" and "ooooohh" when they get a good whiff of our fresh organic Allspice herb or powder. The funny thing is so many do not even know where allspice comes from or what plant it belongs to. Well here we go:
Allspice is the unripened fruit of a small evergreen tree called Pimenta Dioica. The berries are picked from the tree and sun-dried into pea-size balls with a dark, brownish-red color. Contrary to popular belief, allspice is not a blend of "all spices." It does however, have a naturally inherent sweet and spicy flavor reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and hot pepper. The pungent spice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine where it's used in Jamaican jerk seasoning and soups, stews and curries. Allspice is also a common ingredient in cakes, cookies and pies as well as ketchup, pickles and sausage.
Allspice is the only spice that is grown exclusively in the Western Hemisphere. The evergreen tree that produces the allspice berries is indigenous to the rainforests of South and Central America where it grows wild. Unfortunately the wild trees were cut down to harvest the berries and few remain today. There are plantations in Mexico and parts of Central America but the finest allspice comes from Jamaica where the climate and soil are best suited to producing the aromatic berries.
Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place. Ground allspice stays fresh for up to six months. Whole berries last up to a year.
Allspice is worthy addition to your spice rack as it complements a wide variety of sweet to savory recipes. Try adding whole berries to chicken and pork marinades or simmering stews and pot roasts. Mix ground allspice with ground beef for more flavorful hamburgers and meatloaf, or simply add a pinch to your barbecue and tomato sauces. Allspice can also give a distinctive touch to desserts like applesauce, angel food cake and oatmeal cookies.
Substitution Tips: One teaspoon of ground allspice is equivalent to approximately five whole berries.• Use an equal amount of allspice as a substitute for cloves.• Substitute one teaspoon of allspice with 1/2 tsp cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp ground cloves OR 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves plus 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg.
BUY ALLSPICE CERTIFIED ORGANIC ON SALE TODAY!
www.SharpWebLabs.com
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Sharp
SharpWebLabs.com
FloridaHerbHouse.com
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