I can sprinkle a little powdered pumpkin spice or a dash of plain old cinnamon in my morning cup of coffee.
For an evening meal, I can enjoy a hearty bowl of butternut squash soup or cook up a stew chock-full of root vegetables and meat, made with that special secret ingredient: cinnamon.
In the United States, people associate cinnamon with the autumn season and/or the Christmas holidays. But for me, any time is a good time to enjoy cinnamon.
Shining the spotlight on one of my favorite warming, feel-good spices. Cinnamon!
Cinnamon used to be more valuable than gold."The woody, warming spice we sprinkle with abandon on top of baked goods and specialty coffees is native to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and India. But very few people knew where cinnamon came from when merchants first began selling spices throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa as far back as 3,000 years ago — and spice traders capitalized on that lack of knowledge to charge high prices. The stories they told sound wild now, but they once made cinnamon more precious than gold. ..." |
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- There is a mythological creature called the Cinnamon Bird?
- In Ancient Egypt, cinnamon was used in the embalming process?
There's probably lots of other things you didn't know about cinnamon as well.
If you're curious, read more: 20 Facts about Cinnamon.
- Community Post: 35 Crazy-Good Ways To Indulge On Cinnamon This Fall: Because it is the best of all the fall spices!
| Links to a sampling of recipes using cinnamon that reflect world cuisine and global tastes: Soft, chewy sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar, snickerdoodles are a cozy American classic with a signature tang from cream of tartar. Their warm spice and crackly tops make them a nostalgic favorite across generations. Silky pumpkin soup often features cinnamon to enhance its natural sweetness, creating a comforting bowl enjoyed from North America to the Middle East. The spice adds depth and warmth, especially in autumn-inspired versions. A hallmark of American baking, apple pie relies on cinnamon to bring out the fruit’s brightness and aroma. The spice blends with apples to create a filling that’s both sweet and warmly spiced. Cinnamon is the star of many coffee cakes, swirled through the batter or layered as a crumbly streusel. This beloved treat appears in variations around the world, often served with tea or coffee.In Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, baklava layers crisp phyllo with nuts scented with cinnamon, then soaks everything in fragrant syrup. The spice adds warmth that balances the dessert’s sweetness. A celebrated South Asian rice dish, biriyani uses cinnamon sticks as part of its aromatic spice blend, infusing the rice and meat with deep, layered flavor. The result is a fragrant, festive centerpiece. In Mexican mole sauces, cinnamon contributes subtle warmth that complements chiles, chocolate, and nuts. Its presence helps create Mole’s famously complex, bittersweet depth. Cinnamon often appears in Chinese and Southeast Asian roast duck marinades or spice rubs, adding gentle sweetness that enhances the rich, fatty meat. The spice helps create a beautifully aromatic, lacquered finish. |
Kunafeh, the Middle East's Favorite Cheese Delight!
Chinese Cinnamon Beef Noodle Soup Recipe - Chinese.Food.com
Chinese Cinnamon Beef Noodle Soup Recipe - Chinese.Food.com
This was published in a Fine Cooking magazine a couple of years ago. I was so excited to have found a relatively easy yet very flavorful noodle soup for my family. My husband (the ultimate food critic) loves this and doesnt mind eating it for days.
Tomato Bredie - Traditional South African Stew (Video) | PantsDownApronsOn (One stick of cinnamon required.)
