Allspice

Allspice is mainly grown in Jamaica but common in many cuisines from Great Britain to the Middle East and Asia. It is used in pickles, sausages and desserts as well as traditional Jamaica jerk. Though not a blend of spices, allspice has a complex flavor of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. The berries are picked while still immature and traditionally were dried in the sun.

By volume, the short jar holds about 1/4 cup and the tall jar holds about 1/2 cup.

Spices and herbs should be stored away from light, heat and moisture. If you do not have a suitable container, we recommend buying your spices in jars the first time then simply order bulk refills. Storing spices in the refrigerator or freezer may actually shorten their shelf life and they risk picking up other food odors. In general, whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground spices. Depending on the spice and how well it is stored, a good rule of thumb is six months to a year for powdered spices and longer for whole spices and seeds. The best way to determine if your spices or herbs are still fresh is to close your eyes and sniff. If you cannot immediately tell what the herb or spice is, toss it!