Allspice has a flavor reminiscent of cloves, cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg. Even though its name suggests a mixture of spices, allspice is a single berry from the Jamaican bayberry tree. Its heavy sweetness lends allspice a great deal of versatility. Whole, it is used in poached fish stock, vegetable and fruit pickles, and for wild game. Ground, it is found in spice cakes, puddings, cookies, gravies, bbq sauce and is a key ingredient in Caribbean jerk dishes. It is often used in German sausages and is so common in English baking that it's sometimes known as English Spice. Allspice contains a small amount of euglena, the essential oil that gives cloves their strong, distinct flavor. Since euglena is warming and anti-microbial, Russian soldiers in the Napoleonic War of 1812 put allspice in their boots to help keep their feet warm and alleviate odor. This practice carried into the men's cosmetic industry, so that today the scent of allspice is often found in men's colognes.
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