   #copyright

Juniper berry

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Food and agriculture

   Juniper berries, here still attached to a branch, are actually modified
   conifer cones.
   Enlarge
   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, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its
   distinguishing flavour. According to one FAO document, juniper berries
   are the only spice derived from conifers, though tar from pine trees is
   sometimes considered a spice as well.

   All juniper species grow berries, but some are considered too bitter to
   eat. In addition to J. communis, other edible species include Juniperus
   drupacea, Juniperus oxycedrus, Juniperus phoenicea, Juniperus deppeana,
   and Juniperus californica. Some species, for example Juniperus sabina,
   are toxic and consumption is inadvisable.

   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). The mature, dark
   berries are usually but not exclusively used in cuisine, while gin is
   flavoured with fully grown but immature green berries.

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. 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.
   Enlarge
   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 "impart a sharp, clear flavour" to meat dishes,
   especially wild birds (including thrush, blackbird, and woodcock) and
   game meats (including boar and venison). They also season pork,
   cabbage, and sauerkraut dishes. Traditional recipes for choucroute
   garnie, an Alsatian dish of sauerkraut and meats, universally include
   juniper berries.

   Gin was developed in the 17th century in the Netherlands. It was first
   intended as a medication; juniper berries are a diuretic and were also
   thought to be an appetite stimulant and a remedy for rheumatism and
   arthritis. The name gin itself is derived from either the French
   genièvre or the Dutch jenever, which both mean "juniper". Other
   juniper-flavoured beverages include the Finnish rye-and-juniper beer
   known as sahti, which is flavoured with both juniper berries and
   branches.

   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". Such species have been used not just as a seasoning but
   as a nutritive food by some Native Americans. In addition to medical
   and culinary purposes, Native Americans have also used the seeds inside
   juniper berries as beads for jewellery and decoration.

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

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. 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. The Romans used juniper berries as a cheap
   domestically-produced substitute for the expensive black pepper and
   long pepper imported from India. It was also used as an adulterant, as
   reported in Pliny the Elder's Natural History: "Pepper is adulterated
   with juniper berries, which have the property, to a marvellous degree,
   of assuming the pungency of pepper." Pliny also incorrectly asserted
   that black pepper grew on trees that were "very similar in appearance
   to our junipers".

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.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_berry"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
