Spices of Kingston and Jamaica
The Jamaican capital and the island of pimento, or allspice, and jerk seasoning with Scotch bonnet.
Traded and grown here
Best time: December to April.
Jamaica is the main source of allspice, called pimento locally, which comes from a tree native to the Caribbean and Central America. Jerk is a seasoning and cooking method with allspice, Scotch bonnet chile, thyme, scallion and other ingredients, with a long history among the island's Maroon communities.
Spices and trade
Pimento berries are picked green and dried in the sun, then used whole in jerk and in pickling. Pimento wood is used for smoking jerk meat. Scotch bonnet gives heat and a fruity scent.
The place and its people
Boston Bay in Portland is known as a home of jerk. Rastafari Ital cooking uses plant foods and spice. Spiced buns and bulla are eaten at Easter.
Visiting
Jerk is best eaten at roadside stalls and centres. Pimento farms in St Ann and Westmoreland can be visited.
A trail idea for Kingston and Jamaica
- A jerk centre Eat jerk chicken or pork.
- Coronation Market See produce and spice.
- Bob Marley Museum Visit the Kingston house.
- A pimento farm See allspice drying.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Kingston, Jamaica" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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