Cinnamomum Verum
Family: Laurel (Lauraceae)
Family: Laurel (Lauraceae)
Synonyms : -
Form of use : dried bark, divided into pieces or ground
Origin : Srilanka (Ceylon). It is cultivated in Indonesia, Madagaskar, the Lesser Antilles and Central America as well.
Aroma : Highly aromatic, fine and sweet. However, its taste is sometimes bitter.
Use : It is used in sweet dishes, cakes, chocolate drinks, fruit juice, mulled wine, tea and honey, and is added to rice milk in some countries. In Asian cuisine, it is common to use cinnamon to season meat and fish dishes as well as pilafs and curry. Cola drinks, lemonades, and chewing gums often contain cinnamon oil.
Buying/storing : Cinnamon powder, ground from crushed sticks, is more precious than sticks. Both cinnamon sticks and powder should be stored in airproof containers in a dark, dry place.
Remarks: Cinnamon trees are grown in plantation. In nature, cinnamon trees grow up to 66 feet high. If cultivated, they are kept smaller in order to make the annual trimming of 6 feet long sprout easier. Cinnamon sticks are made by stripping off the bark of the trees and making bundles of it. The bundles of bark are then covered and fermented for 1-2 days. Afterwards, the external and internal layers of bark are removed and the rest of the clean bark is dried in the sun. The bark curls during this process. The pieces are rolled together to form a stick of cinnamon. The best-quality cinnamon has a light color and feels like rolled, dried paper. The thinner the piece of bark, the finer the taste.
Related species: There are about 275 different types of cinnamon trees. At least five of them are use to produce cinnamon spice. Besides the Ceylon cinnamon tree, the Padang cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum burmanii) and the cassia cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum) act as substitute spices.
Mythology: In The Arabian Nights, Scheherazade recounts the fantastical legent of the origin of cinnamon. Cinnamon, she says, grows on the floor of a secret lake.
According to another fairy tale, cinnamon is brought by cinnamonbirds who collect the spice in their nests. In order to procure the precious cinnamon sticks, they must be shot down romtheir nest in high trees with bows and arrows.
Medicinal Use : Hippocrates emphasized the importance of cinnamon in medicine in about 500 BC. Cinnamon bark oil is highly antiseptic. It promotes blood circulation in the body and is good for the heart.
Tips for cooking :
Cinnamon is the most important ingredient in gingerbread, which contains coriander, anis, Chinese anis, cloves, orange and lemon peel, cardamom, nutmeg, mace and pimento. Mulled wine spices include cinnamon sticks, Chinese anise, cloves and cardamom.
Important warning : cinnamon oil, prepared from bark, can irritate skin. Therefore, mild oil prepared from cinnamon leaves is suitable for baths and massages because of its relaxing and antispasmodic properties. It is a good way to treat gastrointestinal disorders or strained muscles.
Did you know….. that the quality is determined by the color and delicacy of the bark that is expressed in ‘Ekelle’. The best cinnamon can be extremely expensive. Industrially, cinnamon is used in perfumery and soap production. It is important ingredient in liquors as well as in medicines promoting digestion.
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