Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be called the spice of the elite, since in ancient times it was used exclusively during the preparation of dishes for the crowned persons. The spice is obtained from the bark of cinnamon trees - trees of the Laurel family. On sale, it can be found both in ground form and in the form of tubules (rolled pieces of bark).

In Russian, cinnamon got its name because of its brown color.

Cinnamomum verum is an evergreen cinnamon tree from whose bark cinnamon is obtained. To obtain spices, take the inner layer of the tree bark.

Cinnamon trees are evergreen shrubs. Greenish cinnamon flowers have a rather unpleasant odor.

The fruits of the plant are purple berries. The leaves of the cinnamon tree are similar to the bay leaf, but thinner and smaller.

The habitat of cinnamon trees of this species is not only Ceylon, but also Guiana, Martinique, the states of Indonesia, Brazil, India and Malaysia. This cinnamon is valued more than other types for its delicate smell and sweetish taste. She is fragile.

In addition to Ceylon cinnamon, there are 3 more types that are much less valued.

It is also called fragrant, Indian or plain cinnamon. The well-known name for this type of seasoning is "cassia".We wrote about it in detail in another article.

The trees from which this spice is extracted are grown in Indonesia, China, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. This spice has a less delicate aroma, it is sharper, tart and burning.

It is also called cinnamon. This cinnamon is obtained from a shrub that is bred in Indonesia and the Moluccas. It is very brittle, grainy when broken, with a sharp cinnamon smell, and a rather spicy taste.

It is also called woody and brown. Such cinnamon is extracted from the bark of trees growing in Burma and India. The difference between this spice and other species is a sharp bitter taste and a dark brown-brown color.

True cinnamon is native to South China. This is mentioned in Chinese writings dating back to 2800 BC. The taste of the spice was described by Pliny the Elder in the first century AD.

The highest quality cinnamon is produced in Sri Lanka - it has a warm sweetish taste and a very pleasant smell. This cinnamon is obtained from the thin bark of trees. Also, the production of this spice has been established in places and countries such as Brazil, Egypt, Western India, Vietnam, the islands of Madagascar, Sumatra and Java.

The bark is removed from the shoots of the cinnamon tree, which are less than three years old (usually these are shrubs about two meters high). Copper knives are used to obtain the bark, since cinnamon is rich in tannins that oxidize other metals.

The bark is harvested from the same tree twice a year. Usually, the collection is carried out after a period of rains - at this time it is easier to remove the bark, and its aroma is higher.

The bark is cut into strips 1-2 centimeters wide and up to 30 centimeters long.The upper skin of these strips is scraped off, after which the inner part of the bark is sent to dry in a shady place, waiting for it to darken and curl up into tubes. Ceylon spice has a very thin bark, so after drying, the wall thickness of the tubes can be up to 1 mm. Before selling, the tubes are cut into pieces 5-10 centimeters long.

From the cinnamon tree, not only the bark is extracted, but also unripe fruits, which are called cinnamon "buds". They are harvested immediately after flowering. In appearance, these "buds" are similar to cloves. They are less aromatic, but have a sweet and rather mild smell. These "kidneys" are especially valued in India and China.

See the next video for how real cinnamon is made.

• Buy cinnamon powder in small quantities, as the ground spice quickly loses flavor.
• The sticks have a more persistent taste, but it is quite difficult to grind them.
• When choosing cinnamon powder, smell it - the aroma should be strong enough.
• You can check if you bought cinnamon or cassia by using an iodine solution. This test will have almost no effect on cinnamon, but cassia will acquire a dark blue color.

• Ceylon cinnamon has a delicate flavor, very distinctive.
• The taste of the spice is slightly pungent and sweetish.
• The structure of the seasoning is crumbly and not too dense.
• It goes well with other tart and spicy seasonings.
• You can add cinnamon to any dish that uses sugar.

100 g of cinnamon contains:

Valuable substances in the composition of the bark of cinnamon trees are:

• essential oil (1-2%), consisting of cinnamaldehyde and tannins;
• fatty acid;
• alimentary fiber;
• minerals;
• mono and disaccharides;
• vitamins.

Ceylon cinnamon itself and the essential oil extracted from it have the following properties:

• Strengthening blood supply and metabolic processes.
• Cellulite resistance.
• Improvement of digestive processes.
• Relief from flu and colds.
• Warming effect, thanks to which the oil is in demand for massage.
• Help with nausea, dizziness or fainting.
• Eliminate bad breath.
• Neutralization of poisons that enter the body when bitten by insects.
• Strengthening sexuality.
• Normalization of the menstrual cycle.
• Help with asthenia, fears, depressive, melancholic and anxious moods.
• Relief of seasickness.
• Normalization of blood sugar levels.
• Prevention of cardiovascular pathologies.
• Memory improvement.
• Strong antioxidant effect.
• Antimicrobial properties.

You can learn more about cinnamon and its beneficial properties from the following video of the Live Healthy!

Cinnamon is not recommended for use with:

• Chemotherapy for cancer.
• Pregnancy (the spice stimulates uterine contractions).
• Increased individual sensitivity.

If you want to use the spice externally, you must definitely mix it with the base oil.

Both the aroma and the taste of the spice are associated with the aroma oil in its composition. This oil in the bark of a tree contains approximately 0.5-1%.You can get aromatic oil from the spice after crushing the bark - it is soaked in sea water and distilled. The resulting oil has a yellow-golden hue, a burning taste and a characteristic cinnamon smell. These characteristics are due to cinnamaldehyde, which is the main component of cinnamon oil. Gradually, the oil oxidizes, its structure becomes more resinous, and the shade becomes darker.

Cinnamon bark is actively in demand in cooking:

• It is added to lollipops, chocolate and various desserts.
• Cinnamon sticks are used to prepare liquid dishes.
• With the help of cinnamon, you can get an unusual taste of kefir and yogurt.
• The spice is added to marinades for meat, mushrooms or fruits.
• The spice in crushed (ground) form is added to the dough and second courses.
• Cinnamon combined with sugar is often combined with cereals and fruits. Especially often it is added to apple dishes.
• Cooking in Transcaucasia and Central Asia provides for the addition of this spice when cooking lamb, other meat or poultry.
• This spice is included in various mixtures of dry seasonings.
• The addition of cinnamon helps flavor drinks such as punch, grog, or liqueur.
• Cinnamon goes well with salads of carrots, spinach, young corn, red cabbage.
• This spice can be added to fruit soups that are served cold.
• In England, crackers are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and served at tea parties.
• The French love baking cinnamon muffins.
• In some European countries, cinnamon is added to homemade beer.
• Cinnamon rolls are the perfect accompaniment to pumpkin or tomato soup.
• Cinnamon pairs wonderfully with coffee and cappuccino. You can stir the hot drink with a stick or sprinkle it with ground spice.
• In Thai and Indian cooking, cinnamon leaves are added to curries.

Adding spice to dishes is recommended at the end of cooking to avoid the appearance of a bitter aftertaste. The average amount of cinnamon per dish will be 0.5-1 tsp. a spoonful per kilogram of product or a liter of liquid, although in oriental cooking this spice is used in much larger quantities.

Add 1-2 spice sticks and other ingredients to taste to the wine. Heat the liquid over low heat.

Toast the slices of bread on one side and brush the other side (not toasted) with oil, then sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Fry on the other side until browned.

Cook fruits (apples, nectarines, pears, peaches) in syrup. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar, then place in the oven and bake until golden. These fruits should be served hot, supplemented with sour cream.

See below for details.

• External use of the oil involves mixing it with a vegetable base oil. For 10 ml of vegetable oil, take two or three drops of aromatic oil. The mixture is used for rubbing and massage.
• By mixing one or two drops of oil with tea. a spoonful of honey and adding to herbal tea, this drink is recommended for delayed menstruation, myalgia, weakness, impotence, diarrhea, colds, flu.
• A few drops of aromatic oil are dropped into hot water and inhaled to help get rid of depressive mood and pathologies of the upper respiratory tract.
• By adding cinnamon to hot wine, this drink is recommended for influenza and hypothermia.Also, with the flu, you can make a drink by dissolving honey and lemon juice in hot water, and after adding a pinch of cinnamon and 1 clove, the liquid is brought to a boil, after which it is infused for 20 minutes.
• A prophylactic for influenza will be cinnamon brewed with boiling water, to which a pinch of black pepper and honey are added. Drink this remedy every three hours.
• If headaches appear during a cold, cinnamon is stirred with water until a thick slurry is obtained and applied to the forehead.
• A strong infusion of cinnamon helps with diarrhea, flatulence and vomiting.

You can learn more about the medicinal qualities of cinnamon from the video.

Cinnamon, due to the large amount of dietary fiber, prevents constipation (a common problem for losing weight) and stimulates the intestines. Also, the advantage of using cinnamon for weight loss is its positive effect on mood and a decrease in appetite. It is also known that this seasoning has the property of accelerating the breakdown of sugar. You can use cinnamon for weight loss in many ways:

• Add this spice to tea and coffee as a sugar substitute.
• Do massage with cinnamon against cellulite.
• Make wraps.
• Do fasting days, using kefir flavored with cinnamon all day long.

Cinnamon aroma oil is added to perfumery "oriental" compositions.

Cinnamon trees are unpretentious and easily tolerate adverse conditions. Not cultivated trees can grow up to 6-12 meters in height, but on plantations that are cultivated, the plant is usually represented by low shrubs. After growing a tree for 2 years, it is pruned almost to the root, so that in the third year of cultivation, new shoots will be obtained (there are about ten of them), from which the bark is cut off.

To store cinnamon, it is important to seal the container in which the spice is placed. It is optimal to keep cinnamon in a glass dish. Seasoning sticks can be stored for up to 12 months, and powder - up to six months. It is best to keep the spice in a dark, cool cabinet.

According to Herodotus of the 5th c. BC, those who wanted to find the precious cinnamon bark had to go through many trials: fighting monsters, searching for it at the bottom of lakes and in the nests of huge birds of prey - these are not all the obstacles on the way to the most valuable spice. By telling about such tales, Arab merchants promoted their business. That is why in Europe cinnamon has long been considered an unattainable spice, which only the elite are worthy of.

In ancient times and the Middle Ages, cinnamon was used more as an aroma spice, incense. For food at that time, cooks most often used Indian laurel, which had a similar aroma. But to give a special taste to honey liver and sweet wine with spices, it was simply necessary.

More historical facts:

• Cinnamon and its properties have been known since ancient times. She often served as a gift to high-ranking persons.
• Spice was brought to Ancient Egypt from China. The Egyptians used this spice for embalming.
• Cinnamon is mentioned in the Old Testament. From the lines you can understand that this spice was valued above gold.
• The ancient Romans considered cinnamon to be the plant of Jupiter, representing the element of fire. The Romans used this spice on funeral pyres.
• Until the 17th century, cinnamon was harvested from trees grown wild. Later, trees began to be cultivated for the spice.
• In the Victorian era, Austrian lovers gave each other bouquets of cinnamon, which was a symbol of love and tenderness.