A single spice that imparts the aroma and flavor of a trio of warm seasonings — cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg — allspice is the unripened berry of a small evergreen.

Directions: When cooking with the whole berries, you'll want to remove them before serving the dish. To intensify the flavor, you might try gently roasting the whole berries.

Suggested Uses: Whole allspice is used mainly for pickling, but it's also a flavorful addition to peppermills, gravies, broths, stews, spiced ciders, pickles, and marinades for meat, fish and vegetables. (Scandinavians use allspice to marinate raw herring and to preserve barrels of fish in transport.) The small, round, dark brown seed are also sometimes used for texture and aroma in herbal craft projects, like potpourris. Use it in desserts and preserves as well as gravies and marinades, with fruits as well as meats. You can also use ground allspice in cakes and pies, breads, chutneys, custards, marmalades, sauces, soups, gravies, ketchup, marinades, and preserves. It's delicious with fruits, especially pineapple. In a pinch, you can substitute ground allspice for cloves in a recipe. When time permits, consider grinding your own berries for the freshest ground flavor.