People Left Stunned As They Discover What Allspice Is Really Made From

I had always (wrongly) assumed “allspice” was called that because it contained a little bit of many spices. 

Its festive flavour is reminiscent of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a little bit of pepper. 

But, as with paprika, the flavour isn’t made how I thought it was at all. 

In fact, allspice is an unripe berry from a plant known as pimenta diocia. 

Also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, allspice is very much one spice, rather than a blend of them. And its processing is pretty involved, too. 

How does it get from the plant to our spice racks? 

According to the food publication Bon Appetit, the unripe berry looks a bit like a peppercorn grown fruits are about the size of olives. 

The tree it comes from is native ...