Purely in terms of their outward appearance, pimento berries can be mistaken for black peppercorns, but the first bite reveals the difference in taste: pimento berries with their wrinkled skin are the dried, unripe fruit of the evergreen myrtle tree (Pimenta dioica); pimento tastes much milder than pepper and has secondary aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, which is why it was given the name “allspice” (Fr. toute-épice, Ger. Allgewürz). The derivation of the name, from the Latin pigmentum for dye, thus flavouring, is another reminder that these dried berries have been used for a very long time as an all-purpose seasoning to spice up otherwise bland foods.

Pimento originates from the Antilles. Although Columbus discovered the spice on one of his expeditions, it was not introduced to Europe until much later, following the British colonialization of the Caribbean islands. While Jamaica is still the main exporter, pimento – albeit of inferior quality – is now also cultivated in Central American countries such as Mexico or Honduras.

Used whole, dried pimento berries give pickles and marinades a distinctive flavour, but in this case they must be removed before serving. Pimento is an almost irreplaceable seasoning in sausage making. English cooks use it to season stews and soups, as well as to add a spicy note to pickled vegetables or the famous plum pudding. Many dishes in the Danish smørrebrød (a cold buffet consisting of, among others, slices of white or dark rye bread topped with sausage, pâté, fish, cheese and vegetables) are seasoned with pimento. It is an important constituent of the traditional French spice mixture quatre épices, and in Caribbean cuisine it is the main ingredient of the jerk pastes that are used to rub into and marinate meat before barbecuing.

Pimiento is not the same as pimento
A spice with the Spanish name pimiento is a very popular ingredient in Mediterranean cookery. However, despite its similar-sounding name, pimiento has nothing to do with pimento; pimiento is the ground powder of dried chilli peppers of the “pimiento de Cayenne” variety, also known as Cayenne pepper.

In France this spice is available as piment d’Espelette, named after the Pyrenean village of Espelette near the Spanish border.  The products differ widely in terms of taste. While piment d’Espelette is characterized by a fine piquancy, the Spanish varieties vary greatly and are more comparable to our ground paprika. In Spanish cuisine, the small red peppers themselves are often stuffed with fish or prawn paste. Canned, skinned chillis, sometimes stuffed, are sold in Spanish food stores.