Difference between Mixed Spice and Allspice

If you are interested in cooking, you must have heard the terms ‘allspice’ and ‘mixed spice.’ They are used in numerous recipes in order to enhance the taste, and people in most Asian countries don’t like their food without these spices.

However, one has to be extremely careful while adding these spices to food, as they can ruin the taste if not used in an appropriate quantity. Moreover, it is also important to know which spice is suitable for which recipe.

Some people get confused in regards to the names of spices, and end up using the wrong ones in their recipe. In order to avoid this problem, you need to remember the names of all the spices and the reason for which they are used.

Two of the most commonly used spices are allspice and mixed spice, which sound quite similar to each other. If you talk to an expert, you will come to know that there is a clear difference between the two and they cannot be used as an alternative for each other.

The most important difference between these two ingredients is that  allspice is a single spice, whereas mixed spice is a combination of various spices.

Another thing which you need to keep in mind is that allspice can be a part of mixed spice, but things don’t work the other way around. Despite that, mixed spice cannot be used as an alternative for allspice, as both have a completely different taste.

Although both these spices have a somewhat similar aroma, their colour is different from one another. Therefore, you can easily distinguish between the two on these grounds.

Instructions

  • 1

    Allspice

    First of all, you need to be aware of the fact that this spice doesn’t consist of any mixture of different spices. It is a single spice, which is derived from the Pimenta dioica plant. The unripe fruit, which dries out on this plant, is used to make the allspice. It got its name because of the fact that it contains the aroma of cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. It is also known as the Jamaica Pepper.

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  • 2

    Mixed spice

    As the name suggests, mixed spices are the ones which have been obtained by mixing a variety of different spices together. Normally, they contain cinnamon, all spice, and nutmeg. However, some other spices can also be used to form mixed spice.

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