Traditional Spices of Jamaican 'Niceness'

Spices

Spice Name	Picture	Description
Pimento aka's Clove Pepper Jamaica Pepper Allspice		Indigenous to the Caribbean, the pimento tree was discovered by Spanish explorers who came to admire the distinct smell and flavor of the pimento berry, known as allspice.  It was named "pimienta" in 1509, which translates to pepper or peppercorn.  The pimiento berry is said to have the aroma and flavor of mace, nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon, hence, the name allspice.  It is used in traditional Jamaican marinades, such as Jerk seasoning, the dish of choice,  Escoveitch fish(the dish shown above), curry goat, and the popular drink, Sorrel to name a few.
Jamaican Grown Turmeric		Turmeric is often associated with middle eastern food; however, Jamaica also uses the spice which is part of the Ginger family.  Turmeric is a flowering perennial that is used to add bright yellow colors to Jamaican curry dishes.  It is also associated with medicinal uses which are a large part of the Jamaican culture.  For examples of uses, click on the picture to the left.  The spice most likely traveled from Africa during the slave trade.
Ginger		Ginger is the indispensable spice of ginger beer, a jamaican favorite.  It is often mistaken as a root, but it is a tropical rhizome.  When fresh, it has more heat and flavor.  When buying, look for heavier pieces without long knobs.  The longer the rhizome, the more fibrous it is.  The lighter in weight the selection, the more apt it is to be old and wrinkled.
Orange Peel		Orange peel is often dried to prevent loss of flavor.  The zest of the orange is added to many Jamaican dishes.  So flavorful is it, that only a pinch is needed to add flavor to breads, poultry, and desserts.  It is often used in Chicken Tangiers, which was brought over by the African slaves.
Nutmeg and Mace		These two spices come from a fruit that resembles an apricot.  The brown oval seed has a sheath that is ground before packing.  This is mace.  Nutmeg is the scarlet colored kernel inside the shell.  The shell is dried for a few weeks after harvest.  Once the kernel has shrunk inside it's shell, the shell is cracked, kernel removed, and then ground into the spice.
Sugar Cane		Sugar cane is not necessarily a spice.  However, it is one of the main trade industries in jamaica.  Sugar is known for adding sweetness to desserts and drinks, but it is also used as a main ingredient in rum.  Jamaican rum has been traced back to the arrival of Christopher Columbus.  Mount Gay, Ltd., the countries orginal rum refinary in St.Lucy, is said to have existed since 1663.
Jamaican Jerk		Jamaican jerk is infamous for its heat.  The term jerk refers not only the the spices, but also the cooking process and the end product.  The main ingredients in jerk are allspice and the habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper, which are know for their heat index (Scoville Chile Heat Index).  When eaten raw, the Scotch bonnet pepper is known to cause heartburn, dizziness, and numbness in the fingers.  Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and thyme are additional ingredients that vary from place to place and are the reason for a variation in the jerk seasoning.
Additional Information		http://www.astaspice.org/spice/frame_spice.htm