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[[Image:Jun com cones.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Juniper berries, here still attached to a branch, are actually modified [[conifer cone]]s.]]
[[Image:Jun com cones.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Juniper berries, here still attached to a branch, are actually modified [[conifer cone]]s.]]
A '''juniper berry''' is the female [[conifer cone|seed cone]] produced by the various species of [[juniper]]s. It is not a true [[berry]] but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance.
A '''juniper berry''' is the female [[conifer cone|seed cone]] produced by the various species of [[juniper]]s. It is not a true [[berry]] but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance.


The cones from a handful of species, especially ''[[Juniperus communis]]'', are used as a [[spice]] in [[Europe]] to [[flavouring|flavour]] [[meat]] and [[cabbage]] dishes. The berries also give [[gin]] its distinguishing flavour. According to one [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] document, juniper berries are the only spice derived from [[conifer]]s <ref name="fao">{{cite book|author=Ciesla, William M | title=Non-wood forest products from conifers|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|year=1998|id=ISBN 92-5-104212-8}} [http://www.fao.org/docrep/X0453E/X0453e12.htm Chapter 8: Seeds, Fruits, and Cones]. Retrieved [[July 27]] [[2006]].</ref>. All juniper species grow berries, but some are considered too bitter to eat. Other edible species include ''[[Juniperus drupacea]]'' <ref name="farjon">{{cite book | author=Farjon, A. | title=A Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopityaceae | publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | year=2005 | id=ISBN 1842460684 | pages=pp. 228-400}}</ref>, ''[[Juniperus phoenicea]]'' <ref name="dalby">{{cite book | author=Dalby, A. | title=Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices | publisher=University of California Press | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0520236742 | pages=p. 33}}</ref>, ''[[Juniperus deppeana]]'', and ''[[Juniperus californica]]'' <ref name="peattie">{{cite book | author=Peattie, D., & Landacre, P. H. | title=A Natural History of Western Trees | publisher=Houghton Mifflin | year=1991 | id=ISBN 0395581753 | pages=p. 226}}</ref>. Some species, e.g. ''[[Juniperus sabina]]'', are toxic and consumption is inadvisable<ref name="grieve">{{cite book | author=Grieve, M. | title=A Modern Herbal | publisher=Penguin | year=1984 | id=ISBN 0140464409 }}</ref>.
The cones from a handful of species, especially ''[[Juniperus communis]]'', are used as a [[spice]] in [[Europe]] to [[flavouring|flavour]] [[meat]] and [[cabbage]] dishes. The berries also give [[gin]] its distinguishing flavour. According to one [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] document, juniper berries are the only spice derived from [[conifer]]s.<ref name="fao">{{cite book|author=Ciesla, William M | title=Non-wood forest products from conifers|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|year=1998|id=ISBN 92-5-104212-8}} [http://www.fao.org/docrep/X0453E/X0453e12.htm Chapter 8: Seeds, Fruits, and Cones]. Retrieved [[July 27]] [[2006]].</ref> All juniper species grow berries, but some are considered too bitter to eat. Other edible species include ''[[Juniperus drupacea]]'',<ref name="farjon">{{cite book | author=Farjon, A. | title=A Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopityaceae | publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | year=2005 | id=ISBN 1842460684 | pages=pp. 228-400}}</ref> ''[[Juniperus phoenicea]]'',<ref name="dalby">{{cite book | author=Dalby, A. | title=Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices | publisher=University of California Press | year=2002 | id=ISBN 0520236742 | pages=p. 33}}</ref> ''[[Juniperus deppeana]]'', and ''[[Juniperus californica]]''.<ref name="peattie">{{cite book | author=Peattie, D., & Landacre, P. H. | title=A Natural History of Western Trees | publisher=Houghton Mifflin | year=1991 | id=ISBN 0395581753 | pages=p. 226}}</ref> Some species, e.g. ''[[Juniperus sabina]]'', are toxic and consumption is inadvisable.<ref name="grieve">{{cite book | author=Grieve, M. | title=A Modern Herbal | publisher=Penguin | year=1984 | id=ISBN 0140464409 }}</ref>


''Juniperus communis'' berries vary from four to twelve&nbsp;[[millimetre]]s in [[diameter]]; other species are mostly similar in size, though some are larger, notably ''J. drupacea'' (20–28&nbsp;mm). Unlike the separated and woody scales of a typical pine cone, those in a juniper berry remain fleshy and merge into a unified covering surrounding the [[seed]]s. The berries are green when young, and mature to a purple-black colour over about 18 months in most species, including ''J. communis'' (shorter, 8–10 months in a few species, and about 24 months in ''J. drupacea'') <ref name="farjon"/>. The mature, dark berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while [[gin]] is flavoured with fully grown but immature green berries <ref name="fao"/>.
''Juniperus communis'' berries vary from four to twelve&nbsp;[[millimetre]]s in [[diameter]]; other species are mostly similar in size, though some are larger, notably ''J. drupacea'' (20–28&nbsp;mm). Unlike the separated and woody scales of a typical pine cone, those in a juniper berry remain fleshy and merge into a unified covering surrounding the [[seed]]s. The berries are green when young, and mature to a purple-black colour over about 18 months in most species, including ''J. communis'' (shorter, 8–10 months in a few species, and about 24 months in ''J. drupacea'').<ref name="farjon"/> The mature, dark berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while [[gin]] is flavoured with fully grown but immature green berries.<ref name="fao"/>


== Uses ==
== Uses ==


The flavour profile of young, green berries is dominated by [[pinene]]; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what McGee describes as "green-fresh" and [[citrus]] notes <ref name="mcgee">{{cite book | author=McGee, Harold | title=On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition) | publisher=Scribner | year=2004 | id=ISBN 0-684-80001-2 | pages=p. 410}}</ref>. The outer scales of the berries are relatively flavourless, so the berries are almost always at least lightly crushed before being used as a spice. They are used both fresh and dried, but their flavour and [[odour]] is at their strongest immediately after harvest and decline during drying and storage.
The flavour profile of young, green berries is dominated by [[pinene]]; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what McGee describes as "green-fresh" and [[citrus]] notes.<ref name="mcgee">{{cite book | author=McGee, Harold | title=On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition) | publisher=Scribner | year=2004 | id=ISBN 0-684-80001-2 | pages=p. 410}}</ref> The outer scales of the berries are relatively flavourless, so the berries are almost always at least lightly crushed before being used as a spice. They are used both fresh and dried, but their flavour and [[odour]] is at their strongest immediately after harvest and decline during drying and storage.


[[Image:Juniperus communis at Valjala on 2005-08-11.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Mature purple and younger green juniper berries can be seen growing alongside one another on the same plant.]]
[[Image:Juniperus communis at Valjala on 2005-08-11.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Mature purple and younger green juniper berries can be seen growing alongside one another on the same plant.]]


Juniper berries are used in northern European and particularly Scandinavian cuisine to "imart a sharp, clear flavour"<ref name="fao"/> to meat dishes, especially wild birds (including [[thrush (bird)|thrush]], [[blackbird]], and [[woodcock]]) and [[game (food)|game]] meats (including [[boar]] and [[venison]])<ref name="larousse">{{cite book | title=The Concise Larousse Gastronomique | id = ISBN 0600608638 | publisher=Octopus | author=Montagne, Prosper|pages=p.691}}</ref>. They also season [[pork]], [[cabbage]], and [[sauerkraut]] dishes. Traditional recipes for [[choucroute garnie]], an [[Alsace|Alsatian]] dish of sauerkraut and meats, universally include juniper berries<ref>{{cite book|author=Steingarten, Jeffrey|title=The Man Who Ate Everything|chapter=True Choucroute|pages=p. 244|year=1997|publisher=Vintage Books|id=ISBN 0-375-70202-4}} The chapter is an essay first published in 1989.</ref>.
Juniper berries are used in northern European and particularly Scandinavian cuisine to "imart a sharp, clear flavour"<ref name="fao"/> to meat dishes, especially wild birds (including [[thrush (bird)|thrush]], [[blackbird]], and [[woodcock]]) and [[game (food)|game]] meats (including [[boar]] and [[venison]]).<ref name="larousse">{{cite book | title=The Concise Larousse Gastronomique | id = ISBN 0600608638 | publisher=Octopus | author=Montagne, Prosper|pages=p.691}}</ref> They also season [[pork]], [[cabbage]], and [[sauerkraut]] dishes. Traditional recipes for [[choucroute garnie]], an [[Alsace|Alsatian]] dish of sauerkraut and meats, universally include juniper berries.<ref>{{cite book|author=Steingarten, Jeffrey|title=The Man Who Ate Everything|chapter=True Choucroute|pages=p. 244|year=1997|publisher=Vintage Books|id=ISBN 0-375-70202-4}} The chapter is an essay first published in 1989.</ref>


A few [[North America]]n juniper species produce a seed cone with a sweeter, less resinous flavour than those typically used as a spice. For example, one field guide describes the flesh of the berries of ''Juniperus californica'' as "dry, mealy, and fibrous but sweet and without resin cells" <ref>{{cite book | title=A Natural History of Western Trees | id=ISBN 0395581753 | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Field Guides | author=Peattie, Donald; Paul | year=1991 | pages=p. 226}}</ref>. Such species have been used not just as a seasoning but as a nutritive food by some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]s <ref name="nae">{{cite book|author=Moerman, Daniel E|title=Native American Ethnobotany|year=1998|publisher=Timber Press|id=ISBN 0881924539|pages=p. 282–290}}</ref>. In addition to medical and culinary purposes, Native Americans have also used the seeds inside juniper berries as beads for [[jewellery]] and decoration <ref name="nae"/>.
A few [[North America]]n juniper species produce a seed cone with a sweeter, less resinous flavour than those typically used as a spice. For example, one field guide describes the flesh of the berries of ''Juniperus californica'' as "dry, mealy, and fibrous but sweet and without resin cells".<ref>{{cite book | title=A Natural History of Western Trees | id=ISBN 0395581753 | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Field Guides | author=Peattie, Donald; Paul | year=1991 | pages=p. 226}}</ref> Such species have been used not just as a seasoning but as a nutritive food by some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]s.<ref name="nae">{{cite book|author=Moerman, Daniel E|title=Native American Ethnobotany|year=1998|publisher=Timber Press|id=ISBN 0881924539|pages=p. 282–290}}</ref> In addition to medical and culinary purposes, Native Americans have also used the seeds inside juniper berries as beads for [[jewellery]] and decoration.<ref name="nae"/>


An [[essential oil]] extracted from juniper berries is used in [[aromatherapy]] and [[perfume]]ry <ref name="dalby"/>. The essential oil can be distilled out of berries which have already been used to flavour gin <ref name="fao"/>.
An [[essential oil]] extracted from juniper berries is used in [[aromatherapy]] and [[perfume]]ry.<ref name="dalby"/> The essential oil can be distilled out of berries which have already been used to flavour gin.<ref name="fao"/>


== History ==
== History ==


Juniper berries have been found in [[ancient Egypt]]ian tombs, including ''Juniperus phoenicia'' and ''[[Juniperus oxycedrus]]'' at multiple sites. The latter is not known to grow in Egypt, and neither is ''[[Juniperus excelsa]]'', which was found along with ''J. oxycedrus'' in the tomb of [[Tutankhamun]] <ref name="egypt">{{cite book | author=Manniche, Lisa | year=1999 | title=Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt | publisher=Cornell University Press | id=ISBN 0801437202|pages=p. 21}}</ref>. The berries imported into Egypt may have come from [[ancient Greece|Greece]]; the Greeks record using juniper berries as a medicine long before mentioning their use in food <ref>{{cite book | author=Dalby, Andrew | title=Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece| year=1997 | publisher=Routledge | id=ISBN 0415156572 | pages= p.142}}</ref>. The [[ancient Rome|Romans]] used juniper berries as a cheap domestically-produced substitute for the expensive [[black pepper]] and [[long pepper]] imported from [[India]] <ref name="dalby"/>.
Juniper berries have been found in [[ancient Egypt]]ian tombs, including ''Juniperus phoenicia'' and ''[[Juniperus oxycedrus]]'' at multiple sites. The latter is not known to grow in Egypt, and neither is ''[[Juniperus excelsa]]'', which was found along with ''J. oxycedrus'' in the tomb of [[Tutankhamun]].<ref name="egypt">{{cite book | author=Manniche, Lisa | year=1999 | title=Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt | publisher=Cornell University Press | id=ISBN 0801437202|pages=p. 21}}</ref> The berries imported into Egypt may have come from [[ancient Greece|Greece]]; the Greeks record using juniper berries as a medicine long before mentioning their use in food.<ref>{{cite book | author=Dalby, Andrew | title=Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece| year=1997 | publisher=Routledge | id=ISBN 0415156572 | pages= p.142}}</ref> The [[ancient Rome|Romans]] used juniper berries as a cheap domestically-produced substitute for the expensive [[black pepper]] and [[long pepper]] imported from [[India]].<ref name="dalby"/>


== In fiction ==
== In fiction ==

Revision as of 22:11, 29 July 2006

Juniper berries, here still attached to a branch, are actually modified conifer cones.

A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance.

The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice in Europe to flavour meat and cabbage dishes. The berries also give gin its distinguishing flavour. According to one FAO document, juniper berries are the only spice derived from conifers.[1] All juniper species grow berries, but some are considered too bitter to eat. Other edible species include Juniperus drupacea,[2] Juniperus phoenicea,[3] Juniperus deppeana, and Juniperus californica.[4] Some species, e.g. Juniperus sabina, are toxic and consumption is inadvisable.[5]

Juniperus communis berries vary from four to twelve millimetres in diameter; other species are mostly similar in size, though some are larger, notably J. drupacea (20–28 mm). Unlike the separated and woody scales of a typical pine cone, those in a juniper berry remain fleshy and merge into a unified covering surrounding the seeds. The berries are green when young, and mature to a purple-black colour over about 18 months in most species, including J. communis (shorter, 8–10 months in a few species, and about 24 months in J. drupacea).[2] The mature, dark berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while gin is flavoured with fully grown but immature green berries.[1]

Uses

The flavour profile of young, green berries is dominated by pinene; as they mature this piney, resinous backdrop is joined by what McGee describes as "green-fresh" and citrus notes.[6] The outer scales of the berries are relatively flavourless, so the berries are almost always at least lightly crushed before being used as a spice. They are used both fresh and dried, but their flavour and odour is at their strongest immediately after harvest and decline during drying and storage.

Mature purple and younger green juniper berries can be seen growing alongside one another on the same plant.

Juniper berries are used in northern European and particularly Scandinavian cuisine to "imart a sharp, clear flavour"[1] to meat dishes, especially wild birds (including thrush, blackbird, and woodcock) and game meats (including boar and venison).[7] They also season pork, cabbage, and sauerkraut dishes. Traditional recipes for choucroute garnie, an Alsatian dish of sauerkraut and meats, universally include juniper berries.[8]

A few North American juniper species produce a seed cone with a sweeter, less resinous flavour than those typically used as a spice. For example, one field guide describes the flesh of the berries of Juniperus californica as "dry, mealy, and fibrous but sweet and without resin cells".[9] Such species have been used not just as a seasoning but as a nutritive food by some Native Americans.[10] In addition to medical and culinary purposes, Native Americans have also used the seeds inside juniper berries as beads for jewellery and decoration.[10]

An essential oil extracted from juniper berries is used in aromatherapy and perfumery.[3] The essential oil can be distilled out of berries which have already been used to flavour gin.[1]

History

Juniper berries have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, including Juniperus phoenicia and Juniperus oxycedrus at multiple sites. The latter is not known to grow in Egypt, and neither is Juniperus excelsa, which was found along with J. oxycedrus in the tomb of Tutankhamun.[11] The berries imported into Egypt may have come from Greece; the Greeks record using juniper berries as a medicine long before mentioning their use in food.[12] The Romans used juniper berries as a cheap domestically-produced substitute for the expensive black pepper and long pepper imported from India.[3]

In fiction

In Monty Python's Life of Brian, Simon the Holy Man, a hermit, lives on juniper berries. Brian is credited with the "miracle" of making Simon's bushes bring forth fruit.

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d Ciesla, William M (1998). Non-wood forest products from conifers. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 92-5-104212-8. Chapter 8: Seeds, Fruits, and Cones. Retrieved July 27 2006.
  2. ^ a b Farjon, A. (2005). A Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopityaceae. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. pp. pp. 228-400. ISBN 1842460684. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ a b c Dalby, A. (2002). Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices. University of California Press. pp. p. 33. ISBN 0520236742. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ Peattie, D., & Landacre, P. H. (1991). A Natural History of Western Trees. Houghton Mifflin. pp. p. 226. ISBN 0395581753. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Grieve, M. (1984). A Modern Herbal. Penguin. ISBN 0140464409.
  6. ^ McGee, Harold (2004). On Food and Cooking (Revised Edition). Scribner. pp. p. 410. ISBN 0-684-80001-2. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ Montagne, Prosper. The Concise Larousse Gastronomique. Octopus. pp. p.691. ISBN 0600608638. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  8. ^ Steingarten, Jeffrey (1997). "True Choucroute". The Man Who Ate Everything. Vintage Books. pp. p. 244. ISBN 0-375-70202-4. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help) The chapter is an essay first published in 1989.
  9. ^ Peattie, Donald; Paul (1991). A Natural History of Western Trees. Houghton Mifflin Field Guides. pp. p. 226. ISBN 0395581753. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ a b Moerman, Daniel E (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. pp. p. 282–290. ISBN 0881924539. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  11. ^ Manniche, Lisa (1999). Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt. Cornell University Press. pp. p. 21. ISBN 0801437202. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  12. ^ Dalby, Andrew (1997). Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece. Routledge. pp. p.142. ISBN 0415156572. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
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