🍂 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)

Béarnaise with a blush. French genius in one extra step. 🍅 C - The abc of Food Cooking and People Choron, Alexandre Stephan, 1772 – 1834 👨‍🍳 Alexandre Stéphan Choron (1772–1834) - The chef behind a classic French sauce with a tomato-red twist. Alexandre Stéphan Choron was a French chef of the early 19th century best remembered not for a dish, but for a brilliant variation on one of France’s most beloved sauces. Though less famous than his contemporaries Carême or the later Escoffier, Choron left an elegant mark on haute cuisine through a subtle act of flavour imagination: adding tomato to Béarnaise, thus creating Sauce Choron — a small but enduring stroke of genius. 🍅 The Man Behind the Sauce Little is written about Choron’s personal life by comparison to the towering culinary figures of his era, but what history does preserve places him firmly within the flourishing world of French classical cuisine. He cooked during a time when: sauces defined the status of a dish regional ingredients were beginning to influence national cuisine the foundations of modern French cooking were being codified Choron’s name survives because his idea was clever, delicious, and instantly embraced by chefs of the day — a sign of true culinary insight. 🍳 Sauce Choron: A Béarnaise with Colour and Character Sauce Choron begins exactly the same way as Béarnaise: egg yolks butter tarragon vinegar reduction shallots herbs But instead of finishing with tarragon alone, Choron stirred in a purée of tomatoes, giving the sauce a warm coral colour and a mellow, fruity acidity. What does the tomato do? softens the acidity of the vinegar adds sweetness and freshness gives the sauce more body pairs beautifully with grilled meats and seafood The result is luxurious, aromatic, and slightly lighter than its parent sauce — an evolution, not a departure. 🍽️ Culinary Uses Sauce Choron is still a favourite in classical French kitchens, especially with: grilled beef veal medallions

One name. Two totally different personalities. 🌶️ C - The abc of Food Cooking and People Chorizo 🌶️ Chorizo - A spicy sausage with centuries of smoke, spice, and Spanish soul. Chorizo is one of the most iconic sausages in the Spanish-speaking world — a bold, paprika-red, highly seasoned sausage enjoyed from Spain to Mexico, Portugal to the Caribbean, and everywhere Spanish influence travelled. Though the name is shared, “chorizo” can mean very different things depending on where you are. At its heart, chorizo is pork + spice + tradition — but every region stamps its own character on this legendary ingredient. 🇪🇸 Spanish Chorizo Spanish chorizo is the original — a cured, firm, sliceable sausage made with: coarsely ground pork pork fat pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) garlic salt sometimes wine It is typically smoked, giving it its deep red colour and unmistakable flavour. Two Main Styles • Chorizo dulce — mild, sweet smoked paprika • Chorizo picante — hot smoked paprika How it’s used sliced on tapas boards cooked in stews like fabada asturiana fried with potatoes or eggs folded into rice dishes grilled whole The flavour is smoky, meaty, earthy, and rich with paprika oils that stain the pan in the best possible way. 🌎 Latin American Chorizo Across Latin America, chorizo transforms into something entirely different. Latin chorizo is usually fresh, raw, loose, and must be cooked. It’s juicier, spicier, and more varied than the Spanish version. Regional highlights Mexico Mexican chorizo is bright red, deeply spiced, and often fiery. Seasonings can include: dried chilies cinnamon cumin cloves oregano vinegar garlic It’s often sold loose (without casing) and cooked like mince. Used in: tacos, quesadillas, huevos con chorizo, soups, tortas. Argentina & Uruguay Milder, often grilled as part of asado, served in choripán. Caribbean Spicier, more garlicky, sometimes mixed with annatto for colour. 🔥 The Flavour What makes chorizo chorizo?

Wild. Tart. Packed with history. 🍒🔥 C - The abc of Food Cooking and People - 🍒 Chokecherries - A wild, ancient fruit with a deep North American story. Chokecherries 🍒 Chokecherries - A wild, ancient fruit with a deep North American story. Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) are small, dark-red to nearly black wild cherries native to North America, cherished for centuries by Indigenous peoples and early settlers. Though the name sounds dramatic, it simply reflects the fruit’s high astringency — they are far too tart and puckering to enjoy raw, but transform beautifully once cooked. 🌿 A Fruit of Survival and Tradition Before European contact, chokecherries were one of the most widely used wild fruits among Native American communities across the Great Plains, the Rockies, and the woodlands of Canada and the northern United States. They were important for: nutrition during harsh seasons medicine trade ceremony The fruit, bark, and even the pits (when properly processed) held cultural meaning and practical value. Chokecherries were commonly dried and mixed with fat and meat to make pemmican, one of the most energy-dense and durable foods in North American history. 🍒 Flavour & Uses Raw chokecherries live up to their name — intensely sour, tannic, and mouth-drying. But cook them, and something magical happens: the tannins mellow their colour deepens to an inky ruby they develop a rich, wine-like aroma This makes them perfect for: jams and jellies syrups wines and liqueurs sauces for game meats preserves old-style country desserts Their bold acidity and deep colour give preserves made with them a flavour that’s unmistakably wild. 🌲 The Plant Chokecherry trees grow as large shrubs or small trees bearing: clusters of small, round cherries bright green leaves delicate white spring blossoms They thrive in forests, riverbanks, plains, and mountain regions, making them one of North America’s most widely distributed wild fruits. ⚠️ A Note on Safety

Crisp, creamy, and full of New Year luck 🥢🎊 C - The abc of Food Cooking and People Chinese arrowhead 🌿 Chinese Arrowhead - A crisp, starchy gem of Asian winter cuisine. Chinese arrowhead — also known simply as arrowhead, 慈菇 (cí gū), or Sagittaria sagittifolia — is an edible aquatic tuber treasured throughout China and East Asia. With its smooth white flesh and nutty, potato-like flavour, arrowhead is a winter staple, especially during the Lunar New Year season. It is not related to Jerusalem artichokes, globe artichokes, or water chestnuts — though it often gets mistaken for all three. 🌱 A Water-Grown Treasure Chinese arrowhead grows partially submerged in ponds and shallow wetlands, where its arrow-shaped leaves rise above water and its tubers develop below the surface. Its growing cycle aligns beautifully with winter, making it an important seasonal crop in: China Taiwan Japan (where it’s called kuwai) Parts of Southeast Asia The tubers are round to oval, about the size of a small plum, with a brownish skin and bright white flesh. 🍽️ Taste & Texture The flavour of Chinese arrowhead sits somewhere between: new potatoes water chestnuts taro with a slightly nutty finish and a crisp-tender bite. When cooked, the flesh becomes creamy but never mushy — perfect for stir-fries, soups, and festive dishes. 🎎 A Lunar New Year Symbol Chinese arrowhead is strongly associated with good fortune and success. Because the plant vigorously pushes new shoots upward, it symbolises progress, advancement, and rising in status — a highly auspicious message for the New Year. During the festival season, you’ll often see arrowhead: fried into golden, crisp slices cooked with minced pork added to vegetarian New Year’s feasts combined with sticky rice or lotus root In Japan, kuwai is traditionally included in osechi ryori (New Year’s cuisine), symbolising hope for achieving future goals. 🔪 In the Kitchen Chinese arrowhead can be prepared in many ways: • Stir-fried — sliced thin and fried until lightly golden