The small, dark berries of the juniper tree, used as the primary botanical flavoring in gin and as a pungent spice in European cuisine, especially with game meats.
From Latin 'juniperus,' possibly meaning 'youth-producing,' referring to the evergreen nature of the tree. Juniper berries have been used medicinally and culinarily since ancient times across Europe and North America.
Juniper berries aren't actually berries at all - they're tiny cones that take two years to mature, and their piney, gin-like flavor comes from the same compounds that make gin taste like gin, since juniper is gin's essential flavoring agent!
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