Cookbook:Juniper Berry
| Juniper Berry | |
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| Category | Herbs and spices |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Spices and herbs
Juniper berry is a culinary spice native to temperate North America and Europe.[1][2]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]Though they are technically analogous to pine cones,[1] juniper fruits resemble berries in a culinary sense.[1][3][4] They are small, round, and fleshy,[5] with blue to purple-black coloration.[4][2][6] The flavor is bitter on its own,[2][7] but juniper berries are highly aromatic—the characteristic compounds resemble those of pine,[1][6][4][5] with undertones of citrus in mature berries.[1][4]
Seasonality
[edit | edit source]Each berry takes 1–3 years total to ripen,[4] and harvesting usually takes place in late summer through early fall.[1][5][2] From there, the berries are usually dried.[5]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]Though sometimes available fresh, juniper berries are most commonly found dried when purchased commercially.[1] An oily appearance is a sign of good quality.[1] Avoid pre-ground berries.[1] Like all spices, store at minimum in an airtight container away from light, heat, and moisture.[1] Freshly foraged berries are the best,[4] but the whole dried berries will keep well enough for six months.[1]
Use
[edit | edit source]Juniper berry is used as a flavoring,[3] especially in various cuisines of Europe. One of its most well-known uses is as a component of gin,[3][2][6] but it can also be found in savory and meat dishes (e.g. game, sauerkraut),[3][4][5][6] as well as some sweet dishes and confections.[5] The berries release more flavor when crushed.[1][3][7]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Farrimond, Stuart (2018-11-06). The Science of Spice: Understand Flavor Connections and Revolutionize Your Cooking. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-1-4654-7557-2.
- ↑ a b c d e Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (2008-02-28). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
- ↑ a b c d e Davidson, Alan (2014-01-01). Jaine, Tom (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199677337.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
- ↑ a b c d e f g McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f Van Wyk, Ben-Erik (2014-09-26). Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-09183-9.
- ↑ a b c d Labensky, Sarah R.; Hause, Alan M.; Martel, Priscilla (2018-01-18). On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-444190-0.
- ↑ a b The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (2011-09-13). The Professional Chef. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2.