Thursday, October 21, 2010

Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon

Cinnamon originates from the bark of a group of related trees.  The different species and cultivars have different properties and uses.  It is considered a "warm" spice.  Mexico is actually the main importer of cinnamon in the world.  Cassia is closely related with a similar flavor but is not considered a "true" cinnamon, though it is legally sold under that name in the US (though it's outlawed in many other countries).  You can either buy cinnamon in its ground form or in a stick.

I know as a kid I was confused why people would put something as delicious as cinnamon on something undelicious as a stick, but after growing the plant myself I learnt that was its natural form!  Of course it's not technically a "stick" but a curled piece of bark.  The leaves of the tree also contain the aromatic oils.  During a 6-month internship where a cinnamon tree was in my care, I plucked off a leaf every day just to break it open and smell the cinnamon. 

To create more shoots to maximize the yield of bark from a single plant, cinnamon farmers use a cultivation technique called coppicing.  Here's a little diagram to explain the process:

Cinnamon is an interesting flavor because it can be mild and sweet or quite strong and spicy depending on how it's used.  I also have a love/hate relationship with it.  Some of my favorite and least favorite dishes include cinnamon.


Cinnamon rolls are one of my true weaknesses, though cinnamon toast is an easy and acceptable alternative.

Where I start hating cinnamon is in those nasty red hot candies and surprisingly enough, mixed with fruit.  Apple pie tops my list of most hated desserts, as un-American as that may be.

Hate cinnamon?  Love it?  What sorts of ways do you like to utilize this spice in your cooking?

21 comments:

  1. Cool educational piece on cinnamon, I use it mainly in oatmeal with a little brown sugar.
    djnb

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  2. I could almost smell the page. YUM

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  3. Cinnamon is great, oatmeal, pancakes, a little sprinkle on my hot chocolate. Think I'm going to make a cup now.

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  4. nice, that cinnamon roll looks amazing. Keep it up, I'll be back.

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  5. I like cinnamon rolls and now im almost wanting one

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  6. I love cinnamon! One of my friends has the nickname "Cinnamon" because he tried to do the cinnamon challenge (eat a table spoon of cinnamon) and he failed horribly. I beat the cinnamon challenge though :). It burned my mouth reallyyyyy badly haha.

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  7. I love cinnamon. It's so good on many things ♥

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  8. Cinnamon is the best.
    Though. . . when it comes to screwing around with Cinnamon. . . I-- I wouldn't do the "Tablespoon Of Cinnamon Challenge" thing that's been going around for. . . god knows how long, on youtube.
    I--It looks painful.

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  9. I love cinnamon and im going to become a pastry chef so i cant wait till i use it a lot ;)

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  10. That's so amazing that you grow your own Cinnamon!

    I loooove apple pie - but I live in the North East, where it's nothin but apples and maple syrup as far as the eye can see XD

    I actually use cinnamon in savory dishes as well! It goes very well into many curries and also in central american ground beef dishes like chimichangas! Whenever I make my special chimichangas people always say "Wow these are so good! They have cinnamon in them?!"

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  11. I love cinnamon in my hot chocolate :3

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  12. Thank you for saying you hate apple pie. People always look at me like I'm crazy when I say I don't like it. Granted I've have some good ones (all that my sister has made) but in general no thanks!

    Personally I really love cinnamon+sugar toast. It always tasted like a sweet when I was a kid and my mom didn't ever really put that much cinnamon on it.

    I really do think cinnamon is under appreciated :)

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  13. When I was a kid, I got a bottle of cinammon and planned to eat it by myself.

    It was gross. :(

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  14. Wish I could get a decent cinnamon roll now. Campus cafeteria doesn't have them.

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  15. I can honestly say hell yeah cinnamon.

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  16. I'm so weak for cinnamon toast, it's just soooo good. I don't have much else foods with cinnamon, though, because I'm not really sure what it can improve and what it can destroy...

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  17. Ah I want some cinnamon rolls so much right now! I want to try making some from scratch. I too hate those hot cinnamon candies. I also don't like cinnamon toothpaste, how gross.

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