This sweet allspice is a berry harvested from evergreen trees in the cloud forests of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Hand harvested every October and November, then dried, this allspice has a smoky warmth reminiscent of toasted almonds and baked fruit. Its sugar and spice flavor characteristics make it a key element to many Mexican and Caribbean dishes like jerk chicken and mole. It's also a key component of Pumpkin Spice (along with cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg), and a great addition to spiced holiday treats like pumpkin and apple pies, gingerbread, cocktails, and chai masala. However, Allspice also makes a surprisingly good addition to meat dishes like stews, chili, or bolognese.
New York, NY
Burlap & Barrel sources their single origin spices directly from farmer cooperatives and small farms, bypassing brokers and middlemen who drive prices up and quality down. Founders Ethan Frisch and Ori Zohar visit farms personally and spend time with farmers, learning firsthand about the economic, social, and cultural factors behind their farming methods. Burlap & Barrel then supports these farmers by providing purchase commitments to give greater financial security, sharing knowledge from across their global farmer network, and expanding on-site value-added activities such as sorting, grinding, and packaging to increase farmer revenue. Burlap & Barrel works with their partner farmers to identify unique varietals of spices that are often overlooked by the commodity spice industry – as well as valuable byproducts – to maximize the farms' earnings. Plus, in selling these spices, Burlap and Barrel highlights the areas they come from, bringing attention to sustainability and ecological needs and practices in other parts of the world.