More than you needed to know about juniper berries.

I use juniper berries like I use garlic, rosemary, or whole peppercorns... that is to say I use them often.

Juniper berries are from juniper bushes. Like most plants, there are many kinds of junipers. Some make you very sick, some are very bitter, and one kind is perfect for adding a certain je ne sais quoi to a dish.

You usually find juniper berries dried. They have tough skin, so they should be at least slightly crushed before adding to a dish. Their flavor is green, woodsy spice, like anise or rosemary. They have a slight figgy taste to them, but the spice is the strongest kick.

Traditional cookbooks suggest juniper berries for gamey meats, such as venison. It is true; they do a good job of balancing out the wild flavor of game. Alsatians use juniper in choucroute garni. They are also key to making gin. However, that is not all they are good for.

Try juniper berries with pork tenderloin, in lamb stew, saurkraut, beef dishes (like short ribs), or in sweet red wine reductions. If you are thinking that you need a little pepper, maybe some rosemary or anise, ... then try 5-10 crushed juniper berries.