Juniper Berry

Juniper berries are the female seed cones of species in the genus Juniperus, most commonly Juniperus communis, and despite their name are not true berries but cone-like structures with fleshy, merged scales. They have a distinctive pine-like, resinous flavor with citrus and pepper notes, and are best known as the primary flavoring agent in gin, from which the spirit takes its name, derived from the Dutch word for juniper, jenever. Beyond gin, juniper berries are used to season game meats, sauerkraut and marinades, particularly in Northern European, Scandinavian and Alpine cooking.