Sunday Spice Tip - Cinnamon

Cinnamon.

Sweet. Spicy. Warm. Woody.

So what comes to mind when you think of Cinnamon? Maybe you're reminded of grandma's classic apple pie. Or how about the cinnamon sticks we used to dunk in hot apple cider as kids? More likely than either of those you probably remember the ridiculous yet hilarious cinnamon challenge videos that went viral several years ago, which featured the freak-outs of foolish individuals trying to swallow a spoonful of this pungent spice. Ahhh good times, seems like it was only just yesterday...

Ok enough reminiscing. Despite it's previous internet fame, let's use grandma's apple pie as a better example of how we can use cinnamon to enhance our food. 

Apple & Cinnamon. One of the most classic and delicious combinations ever. Much like how salt enhances all flavours, cinnamon in particular boosts the sweet notes of food with it's own spicy-savoury sweetness. While tasting cinnamon on it's own is generally quite uninspiring, it's actually the rich aroma which lends cinnamon it's unique flavour notes. 

What exactly do I mean? Ever notice how the flavour of food is dull when your nose is stuffed or you have a cold? I'll explain why with very technical terms. Our sense of taste and smell are linked together so that scents intensify flavours. Without smell, nothing actually tastes as it should. Watch the first 2 minutes of this if you want the whole picture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJud8MKrvBE

Native to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Burma, cinnamon has a long, rich history as being one of the world's most popular spices. In modern times, most commercially available cinnamon is actually made from related species of the original cinnamon tree. Referred to as "cassia" to distinguish them from true cinnamon, these relative trees make up the largest percentage of production crops. Although traditionally peeled from the inner bark of cinnamon trees, ground cinnamon is a more versatile and cook-friendly way to reap all the same benefits. 

Excellent when used with... desserts, baking, beverages, & Indian/Caribbean cuisine.

Cinnamon rolls, cinnamon toast, pies, pancakes, muffins, other pastries, oatmeal, cereal, apple cider, hot chocolate, coffee, cocktails, curry chicken and jerk chicken are all places you will find cinnamon's warm and spicy aroma being put to good use. Personally, cinnamon is a must-have in my morning oatmeal and seems butt-naked without it! If you don't already have cinnamon in your spice collection, grab a bottle! It's time you discover this historic flavour of the world.

Let's try it out!
This week I'm featuring Cinnamon as one of the key flavours in my Granola & Yogurt Parfait.