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 Cinnamon
(Cinnamomum zeylanicum )
Origin: Cinnamomum zeylanicum originates from the island Sri Lanka
(formerly called Ceylon)
Used plant part: Stem bark.
Sensoric quality: Strongly aromatic, sweet, pleasant, warm and but
hardly bitter or adstringent.
Use: Since Ceylon cinnamon is native in South Asia, it is not
surprising that the cuisines of Sri Lanka and India make heavy use
of it. It is also widely in use for flavouring tea.
Although cinnamon was very popular in Europe in the 16.th to 18.th
centuries, is importance is now rather shrunken: the main
application for cinnamon in Western cooking are several kinds of
desserts; stewed fruits, for instance, are usually flavoured with a
mixture of cloves and cinnamon. Cinnamon is, however, only rarely
tried for spicy dishes.
In most countries, powdered cinnamon is preferred. The powder should
be added shortly before serving, as it becomes slightly bitter after
some time of cooking
The so-called cinnamon buds are the unripe fruits harvested shortly
after the blossom; in appearance, they are similar to cloves. These
buds are less aromatic than the bark; their odour is, however,
rather interesting: mild, pure and sweet. to release their
fragrance, they must be finely ground. |
