Pimento(Pimenta dioica), also called pimento, is a spice representing the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant.
Aroma and taste
Bacharach has a sweet and tart taste with a slightly burning spiciness and at the same time reminiscent of the aroma of cloves and nutmeg. In addition, the allspice, combined with its warm spicy aroma, reveals hints of pepper and cinnamon. Another déjà vu: Just like the carnation, the allspice leaves a slight tingle on the tongue.
To make the allspice, the fruits of the evergreen allspice tree are hand-picked when unripe – because that’s when the ingredients have the most intense flavour. The most important aromatic carriers of the slightly spicy allspice are the essential oils. Eugenol oil, which is also an important aromatic carrier of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, has the largest proportion of these.
The bahar tree with leathery leaves grows about six to thirteen meters tall and bears fruit only in the seventh year. After harvesting, the fruit is dried in the sun for up to ten days – then it acquires a reddish-brown colour. The main growing areas are Jamaica, but also Mexico, Honduras, Barbados, Brazil and Guatemala.
Uses of allspice
Bahar can be used whole or ground. The bouquet is much more intense in ground form. Whole fruits are suitable for longer cooking. When crushed or ground allspice is used, it should be seasoned carefully and then purified.
Bahar is one of the most important ingredients in Caribbean cuisine. It is used to season Caribbean pastrami (the wood is used to smoke the pastrami in Jamaica, although allspice is also a good substitute) in sauces and pickles. It is also used in sausages and curries. Bahar is widely used in the UK and features in many dishes, including cakes. In many countries, even if it is not popular in the household, allspice is widely used by sausage makers. It is also used as the main seasoning in barbecue sauces. From the 17th to the 19th century, the bahar was widely used to preserve meat on long journeys. In Scandinavia, allspice is used as a fish preservative.
Origin and history of Bahara
At the time when Christopher Columbus discovered distant worlds with his sailors, black pepper was as valuable as gold. Great was his joy when he discovered the Antillean bahara, which he believed to be the precious pepper because of its similarity. A mistake, as it turned out later. It was not until the 17th century that allspice became common in continental Europe. However, the spice still reminds us of Columbus’ mistake – its name comes from the Spanish word for pepper: pimienta.
