The coastal region in south-west India known as the Malabar Coast was originally called Malichabar. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word `malicha', meaning pepper and the Arabian word 'bar', meaning land, hence pepper land. This relatively narrow coastal belt is the original home of the pepper plant, a climbing shrub growing to a height of 6 m (20 ft).
Used as a flavouring are the fragrant, small, hard, greyish-brown, double achenes which have a pleasant sweetish taste. The aroma is due to the presence of an essential oil containing anethol. It is used as a cough medicine, in lozenges, and in flavouring liqueurs, most typical being anisette. Anise is a characteristic flavouring for sweet dishes, cookies and coffee-cakes. It is also added to plum preserves and to pickled gherkins.
It is raised on plantations from offshoots that climb up poles up to 4 m (13 ft) high. Newly planted plants do not begin to bear fruit until the third year and produce their maximum yields (up to 3.5 kg [8 lb] of berries on a single plant) at the age of 7 to 9 years.
Surprisingly allspice, one of the best-known tropical spices found in the kitchen of every home, is the latest to be introduced to Europe. It was known to the Aztecs of Mexico a long time ago but Europe did not learn of it till Christopher Columbus made his famous voyage of discovery. Even then Europeans did not begin using it until the turn of the 17th and 18th century. It has been known longest in England, where it is called allspice because its flavour resembles a mixture of pepper, clove and cinnamon. Whole dried fruits (berries) are used to flavour roast meats, mainly game, and in marinades of all kinds; ground berries are used in rice, pts, soups and sauces. Allspice is used widely in making sausages as well as liqueurs such as Benedictine and Chartreuse. The essential oil is used by the perfume industry.
The tree is evergreen and grows up to 13 m (43 ft) high. It has large aromatic leaves up to 10 cm (4 in) long and equally aromatic bark that peels off regularly every year. The small whitish flowers are arranged in terminal clusters. The berries are divided into two chambers with one seed in each. When ripe they are coloured red and lose their aroma. They are therefore harvested while still green, being picked by hand and dried in the sun.
Saxifrage can be plant in any free space in your garden. You can grow saxifrage in your kitchen garden and use it as a spice in your cooking. All it needs is a sunny location and not too much moisture. It may be propagated by means of seeds (achenes), or by the division of older clumps.
Used as a flavouring are the fragrant, small, hard, greyish-brown, double achenes which have a pleasant sweetish taste. The aroma is due to the presence of an essential oil containing anethol. It is used as a cough medicine, in lozenges, and in flavouring liqueurs, most typical being anisette. Anise is a characteristic flavouring for sweet dishes, cookies and coffee-cakes. It is also added to plum preserves and to pickled gherkins.
It is raised on plantations from offshoots that climb up poles up to 4 m (13 ft) high. Newly planted plants do not begin to bear fruit until the third year and produce their maximum yields (up to 3.5 kg [8 lb] of berries on a single plant) at the age of 7 to 9 years.
Surprisingly allspice, one of the best-known tropical spices found in the kitchen of every home, is the latest to be introduced to Europe. It was known to the Aztecs of Mexico a long time ago but Europe did not learn of it till Christopher Columbus made his famous voyage of discovery. Even then Europeans did not begin using it until the turn of the 17th and 18th century. It has been known longest in England, where it is called allspice because its flavour resembles a mixture of pepper, clove and cinnamon. Whole dried fruits (berries) are used to flavour roast meats, mainly game, and in marinades of all kinds; ground berries are used in rice, pts, soups and sauces. Allspice is used widely in making sausages as well as liqueurs such as Benedictine and Chartreuse. The essential oil is used by the perfume industry.
The tree is evergreen and grows up to 13 m (43 ft) high. It has large aromatic leaves up to 10 cm (4 in) long and equally aromatic bark that peels off regularly every year. The small whitish flowers are arranged in terminal clusters. The berries are divided into two chambers with one seed in each. When ripe they are coloured red and lose their aroma. They are therefore harvested while still green, being picked by hand and dried in the sun.
Saxifrage can be plant in any free space in your garden. You can grow saxifrage in your kitchen garden and use it as a spice in your cooking. All it needs is a sunny location and not too much moisture. It may be propagated by means of seeds (achenes), or by the division of older clumps.
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