Juniper
Juniperus communis · Spice
Top 10 pairings
Gin owes its defining flavour to juniper, a piney, resinous, citrusy spice. Its dark blue-purple "berries", really seed cones of a hardy conifer shrub, are also crushed into game, pork and sauerkraut.
Picking a good onedrag
Just crushed, resinous and loudHard, faded, smells of nothing
Whole in the jarEveryday bestWhole cones keep a year or more. A few seconds in a dry pan wakes a quiet batch.
Crush and smellPiney and clean, citrus lagging
Whole or groundJarred whole, loud when cracked
Look at the conesDark and dry, colour patchy
Press oneFirm, gives a little, resinous