Juniper

A beautifully fragrant spice that is used to make gin, so think of gin and you’ve got juniper. The berries are purple-black, slightly wrinkled and grown wild in hill country. They ripen in autumn, so perhaps that is why juniper is often served with game and pork, wild boar and other autumnal recipes.

It is quite pungent and a little goes a long way. When you place them in a mortar and begin to crush them, their deep fragrance and the anticipation of their flavour cannot fail to please.