[bgill]

Thanks for that info. I had thought a hot pepper since Jamaica is known for it’s hot spicy food. Wonder why they called it a pepper though.

[libertarian27]

Ah Ha, I think I found out why
http://greekfood.about.com/od/herbsspices/p/allspice.htm
((Allspice (Pimenta dioica) was discovered by Christopher Columbus on the island of Jamaica during his second voyage to the New World, and named by Dr. Diego Chanca. It was introduced into European and Mediterranean cuisines in the 1500s.
The “Jamaica pepper” - another name for allspice - continues to be grown primarily in Jamaica, though a few other Central American countries produce allspice in comparatively small quantities....))

Probably called it ‘pepper’ because they look like peppercorns.

[Red_Devil 232]

Probably because it looks like a peppercorn

[Netizen]

There is a Jamaican hot pepper.

http://home.acceleration.net/2000/HotPeppers/peppers.htm

Scroll down

[magslinger]

Jamaica does have some good chiles (using that term to differentiate them from black pepper) but apparently produce allspice as well. The dried allspice berries look like brown peppercorns and when used freshly ground as I do have a bite similar to black pepper. They also have much more subtle flavors than black pepper or even grains of paradise.

If you haven't tried grains of paradise (gotta love the acronym) do yourself a favor.