Allspice

Allspice originates from Jamaica. Allspice is not a mixture of spices, as the name suggests, but small berries that taste like a blend of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. It is not the same as Mixed Spice which is a combination of other spices.

Brown berries from the allspice tree are crushed to give allspice a dark brown colour. Allspice has a warm and sweetly pungent flavour with peppery overtones and smells of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon with a hint of mace and peppercorn. Allspice can be used as a flavouring for soups, meats, cakes, milk puddings and vegetables, in pickles and chutneys and in pot-pourri.

Hot Allspiced Grapefruit
Mix 2oz / 50g soft brown sugar with half a teaspoon of Goodall’s Allspice and a tablespoon each of butter and dark rum and cream to a smooth paste. Spread the paste evenly over the cut surfaces of four grapefruit halves and place them, paste side up, under a very hot grill for 6-8 minutes. Serve hot as a starter.

Did you know…?

Allspice can be used for making spiced beef, pates, pickles and soups. When the allspice tree is flowering, the air is filled with perfume from the bark, leaves and the flowers.