A Survey of
Tropical Spices
Among the tropical spices, family
relationships don’t readily translate into
flavor relationships. I’ve therefore listed them
all in simple alphabetical order. It’s
interesting to note, though, that the ginger
family includes turmeric, galangal,
cardamoms, and grains of paradise; and that
allspice and clove are members of the myrtle
family, and thus relatives of each other and of
two strong-scented fruits, guava and feijoa.
Allspice Allspice is the brown, mediumsized
dried berry of a tree of the New World tropics.
Pimenta dioica is a member of the myrtle
family and a relative of the clove. Allspice
took on its modern name in the 17th century
because it was thought to combine the aromas
of several spices, and today it’s often
described as tasting like a mellow