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, particularly the cultivar *Capsicum annuum* known as pimiento or cherry pepper. In some dictionaries, pimento can also refer to allspice, the spice made from the dried berries of *Pimenta dioica*. The word appears in culinary traditions such as pimento-stuffed Olive and pimento cheese. In Canada, pimentos are familiar through imported Olives, sandwiches, salads, and cheese spreads.

Meaning and terminology

Pimento is most often a food term for a sweet red pepper, usually spelled pimiento in reference works. Some dictionaries also use pimento as another name for allspice, which creates ambiguity in English usage. The term is especially associated with Spanish and Mediterranean food traditions, but it is also familiar in North American cooking.

Botanical classification

When used for the pepper, pimento refers to a cultivar group within *Capsicum annuum*, the same species that includes bell peppers and paprika peppers. According to Britannica, these peppers are mild and lack pungency.

Culinary uses

Pimentos are used whole or chopped in a variety of dishes, including Olives, salads, sandwiches, spreads, and garnishes. They are also associated with pimento cheese, a popular spread, and can be dried and ground into paprika.

Regional usage

The term pimento is especially associated with Spanish and Mediterranean food traditions, but it is also familiar in North American cooking. English-language dictionaries and food references vary in whether they prefer the spelling pimento or pimiento. In Canada, both spellings are encountered in food writing and dictionaries.