Allspice Pimenta dioica, Pimenta officinalis;Jamaica Pepper Despite its common name, Allspice, thought up in the late 17th century to describe its taste - a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper - it is really just one spice. The dried, unripe berry of a tropical tree of the myrtle family, native to Central America and West Indies, grown exclusively in the Western hemisphere, having resisted various efforts at production elsewhere in the world. The trees are fairly productive, though, being very easy to grow and each tree remaining productive for around 100 years. Discovered by the Spanish in Mexico at the beginning of the 16th century and in use in London by 1601, the spice quickly found favour for use in pickles, marinades, sausages, fish preserves, cakes and puddings. Pimento seeds were also used by the Aztecs to flavour their chocolate preparations. The ripe berries are very similar in appearance to peppercorns and most of the world’s supply of the spice comes from Jamaica, hence its alternative name, Jamaica Pepper, and the variation on the Spanish word, pimienta (pepper) in its Latin botanical name. The green berries are hand-picked before reaching ripeness and sun-dried to a reddish-brown colour for about 10 days before being cleaned ready for shipping. Its main active volatile oil is eugenol, which is also the principal flavouring in cloves and an extract of allspice oils has been used for its digestive and slightly narcotic properties. Perhaps the most unusual use of this spice in a medicinal rôle is by Russian soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars; in order to prevent chillblains, they placed allspice berries in their boots. Nutritionally 1tsp of ground allspice weighs 2g contains fats, carbohydrates, fibre, sodium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C and Iron and contains 7 kcals.