The Science of Spice

118 Spice Profiles

Region of cultivation

Juniper is native to temperate regions of Europe,

Russia, and the Caucasus, North America, and

Japan. The strongest-tasting berries are grown

in warm, sunny southern Europe.

The plant

Juniper is a dense,

prickly, evergreen

shrub. Female seed

cones produce the

“berries”, which take

several years to ripen.

Whole

The berries are available fresh, but more

commonly bought semi-dried. Store in a

sealed container as the oils evaporate easily;

whole spice is best used within six months.

Ground

Berries are available roughly pre-ground,

but the flavour-containing oils soon degrade

and the spice needs to be used quickly.

Each berry

contains 6

black seeds

“Berry” flesh

contains

several sacs of

flavourful oils

BOTANICAL NAME

Juniperus communis

ALSO KNOWN AS

Common juniper.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND

Pinene.

PARTS USED

Berries (actually cones, like those on

pine trees, but with fleshy scales).

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

Shrubs are grown on chalky soils. Berries

are harvested in late summer or autumn.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Berries are often partially dehydrated at a

temperature below 35°C (95°F) to limit

the evaporation of essential oils, which

contain the flavour compounds.

NON-CULINARY USES

In perfumes; as a fabric dye; as an

insecticide. In traditional medicine,

as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory.

EUROPE

(TEMPERATE REGIONS)

JUNIPER

Resinous | Sharp | Floral

In folklore, juniper is associated with

healing and magical powers, and the

dense shrub is known as a place

of safe refuge; in one legend the infant

Jesus is concealed in a juniper hedge

to hide him from King Herod’s

soldiers. Since ancient times, branches

of the bush have been burned to

smoke meat and fish, and in the

Middle Ages the wood was burned to

purify the air in times of plague. Italy

has been exporting home-grown

juniper for more than 500 years. Most

of the country’s crop goes straight to

distilleries for making gin, and it is

still a legal requirement for juniper to

be the dominant aromatic in all gins.

The Dutch in the 13th century appear

to have been the first to flavour spirits

with juniper, using the green, unripe

berries to produce a strongly alcoholic

drink they named jenever.

Spice story

Oiliness of the

berry indicates

good quality

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