Mixed Spice

This wonderfully aromatic blend is common in one form or another in many countries.  The blend is used in many types of cookery from savoury to sweet, and is used a great deal in breads, cakes and pastries, especially sweet ones.
The blend  includes cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pimiento (allspice) among others. In savoury cooking, mixed spice is an essential ingredient in meat stews throughout Europe. It turns up in the Greek Stifado and the French Civet, both of which use it together with lots of red wine to produce a rich, sweetly aromatic and warming dish. It also turns up in curry recipes, especially from the Caribbean, and it can be used in Mexican cooking in much the same way Garam Masala would be used in Indian.
When it comes to baking, mixed spice is widely used in Europe to produce sweetly spiced buns and cakes. And of course a spoon of mixed spice works wonders when added to the filling for a lovely apple pie!