Grains of Paradise, which goes by the common names of Melegueta pepper, alligator pepper, Guinea grains and Guinea pepper, has been in use since ancient times. In the fifteen and sixteen hundreds, the spice was used in Europe as a substitute for pepper. The name comes from the Middle Ages, when the spice was considered to have a high value.

Today Grains of Paradise spice is used for flavoring certain types of drinks, most notably some aquavit, beers and gins. It can also be used to flavor vinegar. You can grind the seeds in a mill as you would peppercorns, and it can be used in recipes much as cardamom is used. Some people like to include it for a piquant bite in a fruit pie, such as pear or apple. It can also be used in tagines, which is the name of a dish but is also the name of the pot with the cone-shaped lid in which the food is cooked, usually in an oven. It is a North African delicacy that is reminiscent of a stew, and includes meats such as lamb or chicken along with vegetables, and Grains of Paradise can be used as part of the seasoning for the dish.

When you buy Grains of Paradise from Starwest Botanicals, you can be assured of receiving the highest quality dried herbs and spices. We offer quality dried herbs and spices with superb customer service and fair prices for your complete satisfaction guarantee.

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