7d • General discussion
🔥 kooks abc of Ingredients -🌿 Cinnamon - A sweet, ancient bark with a fiery global story.
🍂 Cinnamon: the spice that warms the world.
B - The abc of Food Cooking and People
Cinnamon
🌿 Cinnamon - A sweet, ancient bark with a fiery global story.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest and most beloved spices in the world — the warm, reddish-brown inner bark of trees from the Cinnamomum family. Aromatic, comforting, and instantly recognisable, it has travelled through ancient trade routes, royal courts, spice wars, and modern kitchens without ever losing its magic.
The cinnamon tree grows slowly in tropical climates. Its bark is peeled, rolled, and dried into delicate quills, while the leaves carry a gentler aroma. Cinnamon trees often grow along fields and roadsides in producing regions, an unassuming appearance for such a prized spice.
🌏 Two Cinnamons, Two Stories
What many cooks don’t realise is that “cinnamon” is actually two different species:
1. True Cinnamon (Ceylon Cinnamon) – Cinnamomum zeylanicum
Pale, soft, fragile quills that crumble easily
Milder, sweeter, more floral
Traditionally grown in Sri Lanka
Preferred in Europe and gourmet baking
2. Cassia Cinnamon – Cinnamomum cassia
Darker, harder, more robust sticks
Stronger, warmer, more intense flavour
The most common cinnamon in the US and much of Asia
Ideal for bold baking, curries, and spiced drinks
Both bring warmth, sweetness, and depth — but cassia has more punch, while Ceylon brings elegance.
🍰 In the Kitchen: Sweet Meets Savoury
Cinnamon’s versatility is one reason it has stayed essential for centuries.
You’ll find it in:
pastries, cakes, doughnuts, biscuits
puddings, porridge, baked apples
Middle Eastern and Indian curries
mulled wine, chai, hot chocolate
cinnamon sugar blends and syrups
chewing gum (hello, Big Red!)
Its sweetness makes desserts sing, but its warmth transforms savoury dishes too — especially slow-cooked lamb, Moroccan tagines, and spiced rice.
🌎 Names Across Cultures
Cinnamon is known by many names depending on the region:
daal cheenee (South Asia)
taj bhooko (another South Asian variation)
canela (Spanish-speaking regions; West Indian cinnamon)
Regardless of the name, the smell is unmistakable — warm, sweet, nostalgic.
🧠From Ancient Trade Routes to Modern Shelves
Cinnamon was once so valuable that it sparked international trade routes, rivalries, and even myths created by merchants to protect its source. Today, it’s affordable and globally available, but it remains tied to centuries of culinary tradition.
✨ The Secret Worth Sharing
Cinnamon isn’t just a spice — it’s a world traveller, a bakery hero, a curry whisperer, and one of the oldest seasoning traditions we still use daily. Whether you choose the gentle sweetness of Ceylon or the bold strength of cassia, one thing holds true: cinnamon brings warmth to everything it touches.
#SpiceHistory #WorldIngredients #CeylonVsCassia
0
0 comments
🔥 kooks abc of Ingredients -🌿 Cinnamon - A sweet, ancient bark with a fiery global story.
powered by
skool.com/quick-and-cheap-kooks-club-7073
Over 40 years cooking in London’s Dorchester, Savoy & Simply Nico — now bringing fine-dining secrets to the Quick@$$ and Cheap Kooks Club.
Suggested communities
Powered by