Feature by Pravar Mukkala
Cinnamon, or either Cinnamomum verum or Cinnamomum cassia is perhaps the world’s most popular and well-known spice. Cinnamomum verum, or Ceylon cinnamon, is heralded as “the true cinnamon” and is more expensive, while Cinnamomum cassia is regarded as the “substitute” and is of lesser quality.
Cinnamon has a long history, and dates back to ancient Egyptian times. It was used as an
offering to the ancient Roman and Greek gods. However, not many people in the ancient Mediterranean civilizations knew where this “magical” spice came from, as traders kept
it a secret so they would be the only ones selling it. In reality, cinnamon came from southern and southeastern Asia.
Cassia cinnamon makes up most of the world’s production of the spice, while Ceylon cinnamon makes up a smaller portion.
China and Indonesia combined produce around seventy percent of cinnamon in the world. The spice is actually bark of the tree of the same species, which is taken off the tree and left to dry.
The wet bark curls up as it dries, giving cinnamon its trademark tube-like shape.
Individual tubes of the spice can be added to gravies, soups, or other liquids for the mixture to soak up flavor, or powdered cinnamon can be added to quickly impart taste.
Cinnamon, both of the “true” and “cassia” varieties, possesses a sweet yet powerful taste. It’s slightly bitter, and burns the mouth if consumed in large, concentrated quantities. It’s used
in both sweet and savory dishes around the world. In Indian cuisine, the spice is used in curries to add a cooler flavor that balances out the regular spice. It’s a staple in Persian food, especially in Persian chai.
Cinnamon is an important ingredient in garam masala, a spice blend used in both Persian and Indian cuisines. A sweeter usage of cinnamon is the addition of the spice to sugar to make cinnamon sugar. This combination can be used on things from apples to bread, and is used in cinnamon rolls as well.
Cinnamon is the main ingredient of pumpkin pie spice, which consists of cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and of course, cinnamon.
Cinnamon is used in sweet dishes in American and many European cuisines.