

Used by the Mayan Indians to embalm their dead and by the Aztecs in their chocolate drinks, Allspice ( Pimento dioica) was r eportedly discovered by Christopher Columbus in the late 15th Century, when he was searching for new sources of pepper. Its botanical name is derived from the words pimenta (Portuguese) and pimienta (Spanish), which mean pepper , due to i ts similarity in appearance to peppercorns. Allspice was so named because of its powerful aroma and flavour, which resembles cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon but with some peppery heat.



A llspice is the dried berry of the pimento tree, an evergreen indigenous to the West Indies, Central and South America. The green berries are harvested between July and September and change to purple and then brown as they are dried in the sun. Allspice is the only spice which, in the past, has been grown exclusively in the Western Hemisphere and t wo thirds of the world's supply is grown in Jamaica. Saplings which were taken to Ceylon and Singapore in the early 19th Century failed to flourish but it is now cultivated in parts of India and is quite a popular spice in North Indian cooking.





Medicinal Uses





The healing qualities of allspice are derived mainly from the oil of the berries and the leaves and in particular from the phenylpropene eugenol , found in its oil. Also present in cloves, this chemical has antiseptic, anaesthetic, analgesic and antioxidant properties. Consumed in the form of a tea as a tonic and used externally for the relief of aches and pains, this pungent spice and its leaves are also believed to help the following ailments :





colds and flu

toothache

rheumatism

arthritis

indigestion

neuralgia

nervous exhaustion

menstrual cramps

fatigue





Apparently, in the 19th Century, Russian soldiers used to keep their feet warm by sprinkling allspice in their boots!





It is not advised to consume allspice during pregnancy and if you are breast feeding. I've also come across some references which suggest that allspice should not be consumed by people with Ulcerative Colitis, stomach ulcers and Crohn's Disease but it is on the SCD legal list and the recommendation for its use is here





Nutritional Benefits





Allspice is a good source of :

calcium

manganese

vitamin C

iron

magnesium

potassium

copper

and contains traces of

vitamin A

folate

vitamin B6

niacin

phosphorous





Cooking with Allspice





Allspice is used widely in Europe as an ingredient in sweet recipes and festive baking as well as in mulled wine. A main ingredient in the Carribean jerk seasoning, it is also added in the production of Benedictine and Chartreuse. Try a small amount on cooked or roasted root vegetables or with spinach and sprinkle a small amount into vegetable soups. Ideally, allspice should be ground just before it is used but we don't seem to be able to buy the whole spice easily in the UK. There are some pictures of the whole spice here , if you're curious and some cooking tips below :





allspice can inhibit the activity if yeast in amounts over ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour

6 allspice berries = ¼ - ½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground allspice = ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon ground cloves + ¼ teaspoon ground ginger + a little ground black pepper





Hot Cross Buns GF SCD









I tried several variations of the recipe below before I was satisfied, including using flax eggs instead of eggs. One flax egg is made by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of boiling water, whisk well with a fork and allow to cool. The texture was slightly chewier but we still enjoyed them. I also tried them without oil and there was only a small difference so you could try them without oil if you wish. Please bear in mind that grain-free breads will never have the same texture as those made with grains.





Even though the SCD legal list states that allspice is legal in cooking, you may wish to replace the allspice and cloves with cinnamon, mace or nutmeg and ginger or just reduce the amount in the recipe.





320g ground almonds

50-80g organic sultanas or other dried fruit

60ml honey (or other liquid sweetener -

not for SCD)

2 eggs

(or 2 flax eggs and 1 tblsp organic cider vinegar - not for SCD)

2 tblsps extra virgin olive oil

grated rind of 1 unwaxed lemon

grated rind of 1 unwaxed

orange

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp

mace (or nutmeg if you don't have mace)

¼ tsp ground ginger

⅛ tsp ground cloves

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

large pinch of salt





Set the oven to 180°C. Measure the ground almonds, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl.









Whisk together with a balloon whisk. Add the sultanas or other dried fruit. Wash the lemon and orange, then had the zest to the bowl and mix together well. Choose unwaxed lemons and oranges if you can since it's very difficult to wash the wax off the fruit and choose organic if possible to avoid adding unwanted pesticides.







Whisk the eggs (or flax eggs), honey (or other sweetener) and extra virgin olive oil until light and fluffy, preferably with an electric hand whisk.





Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well together with a spoon.