Juniper berries are not really berries, but the seed cone of an evergreen tree that is found all over the world.

Used as a spice in many cultures, juniper berries are traditionally used to flavor sauerkraut dishes such as choucroute garnie from Germany and the Alsace region of France. The "berries" are usually crushed before use since the flavoring resins are inside the berry and not in the exterior skin.

Mentioned in literature as far back as Roman times, juniper berries were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.