Pimento
Pimento is a term used most commonly for a mild, sweet red pepper, especially the cultivar *Capsicum annuum* known as pimiento or cherry pepper.
Pimento is a term most commonly used for a mild, sweet red pepper, especially the cultivar *Capsicum annuum* known as pimiento or cherry pepper. In some contexts, it can also refer to allspice, the spice from *Pimenta dioica*.
What it is
Pimento is a food term for a sweet red pepper, usually spelled pimiento in reference works. It is also used in some dictionaries for allspice, creating ambiguity in English usage. The pepper is mild, sweet, and low in heat.
Key details
When used for the pepper, pimento refers to cultivars within *Capsicum annuum*, the same species as bell peppers and paprika. It is used whole or chopped in olives, salads, sandwiches, and spreads, and can be ground into paprika.
Why it matters
Pimento is familiar in Canadian cooking through imported olives, sandwiches, salads, and cheese spreads such as pimento cheese. Canadian English also encounters the alternative spelling pimiento in food writing and dictionaries.
In short
- Pimento usually means a mild, sweet red pepper.
- It is used in stuffed olives, salads, and pimento cheese.
- Some dictionaries also use pimento for allspice.
- The pepper is from *Capsicum annuum* and is not spicy.
Pimentos are familiar to Canadian readers through imported olives, sandwiches, salads, and cheese spreads such as pimento cheese. Canadian English also encounters the alternative spelling pimiento in food writing and dictionaries.[4][5][11]
Quick questions
What is pimento?
Is pimento spicy?
What is pimento used for?
Sources
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PimientoSupports: States that pimiento or pimento is a red, heart-shaped chili pepper variety of *Capsicum annuum*.
- Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pimientoSupports: Defines pimiento as a sweet red pepper.
- Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pimentosSupports: Lists pimentos as allspice and as pimiento.
- Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pimientoSupports: Defines pimiento as a thick-fleshed sweet pepper used as garnish, olive stuffing, and paprika source.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/plant/pimientoSupports: Explains pimiento as mild *Capsicum annuum* cultivars used for paprika and olive stuffing, and notes pimento can also mean allspice.
- Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pimentoSupports: Lists pimento as pimiento, allspice, and a red colour term.