Tropical spices 101: Cinnamon and cassia
[2008-5-14]
Tag: Cassia Whole
Almost every spice stall in the Spice Bazaar in İstanbul will have small bundles of dark reddish brown cylinders of something that is labeled cinnamon. Closer inspection of the aromatic bark will show the learned cook that almost all the product available is in fact cassia. From a distance it looks the same and up close the fragrance is similar, but there are differences that your home spice grinder will tell you about.
True cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon, as the name suggests originates from the former Ceylon, or Sri Lanka, as it is known today. In its wild state it will grow up to 17 meters tall, but when cultivated, the evergreen tree is continuously cut down and usually reaches a maximum of three meters. Various cinnamon and cassia bark is produced for the world market in southern India, Java, Sumatra, the West Indies, Brazil, Vietnam, Madagascar and Egypt.
Cinnamomum verum (or C. zeylanicum) is the species responsible for true cinnamon and Cinnamomum aromaticum for much of the cassia used in food preparation. Apart from the differing plants, the process and treatment of the trees’ bark also differentiates cinnamon and cassia. The single, more brittle cinnamon scroll comes from young shoots that grow after the tree is coppiced. Every season, the tree is cut back and new growth develops. The bark from these small branches is removed and the thin inner layer becomes cinnamon. Each quill contains sheets of this fine dried bark.
The traditional cinnamon workers of Sri Lanka belonged to a caste (the Chalais) that were exclusively involved in the harvesting and processing of cinnamon who emigrated from India in the 13th century. Cinnamon peelers, as they are described in English, work in groups of two or three families and contract their work to local farmers. Each quill that makes its way to market has been hand peeled, packed and carefully dried, often in the home of these workers. Some describe the peelers work as the most dexterous skill in the spice trade today.
Cassia on the other hand is the complete outer bark of the C. aromaticum tree. Where each layer of bark used to make true cinnamon is about half a millimeter thick, a single layer of cassia bark is two to three millimeters thick. Cassia is tougher, woodier and generally rolls into a double scroll with the ends meeting each other in the middle. Cassia is impossible to grind with a home spice grinder and is generally used whole. Commercial grinders can do the job and ground cassia is found in many shops. Again it will be labeled cinnamon, yet it will be a coarser powder, darker in color than its finer, paler cousin.
True cinnamon is suitable for desserts where just a hint or a subtle sweet taste is desired. The aroma of cassia is much bolder and often used in savory dishes that can support the stronger flavor. To confuse the cook further there are several “types” of cassia available and the strengths of each of these differ. Cinnamomum loureiroi, or Saigon cinnamon, has the highest content of essential oils and is thus the most expensive of the main cassias found. Seen in market stalls it resembles larger pieces of dried bark in the same reddish brown as the smaller scrolls but often not in rolled form.
Cinnamon has a long and illustrious history. In ancient Egypt cinnamon was more precious than gold. It is said that Roman Emperor Nero burned a years supply of cinnamon when his wife died, a monumental gesture at the time to demonstrate the enormity of his loss. Despite the significance of the spice, its origins were little known as Arab traders kept their sources secret. In fact it not known whether the cinnamon referred to was real cinnamon or cassia.
Cinnamon was known to the Seljuk kitchens of the 11th to 14th centuries and became part of the rich culinary legacy bequeathed to Ottoman and to a lesser extent Turkish cuisine. The use of the spice continued throughout the centuries to be lost in the latter years of the Empire. As late as the 19th century cinnamon was an important ingredient in dishes and also a condiment added when finishing a dish, much the same as salt and pepper are used these days. In “A Manual of Turkish Cookery,” written in English by Türabi Efendi in 1864, many a recipe calls to, “sprinkle a little cinnamon over, and serve.” From soups to kebabs, stews and köfte, dolma, pilaf and all manner of desserts cinnamon is mentioned. These days it is rare to see cinnamon used in savory dishes, with the exception of some fillings for dolma.
Recipes from the 13th century “A Baghdad Cookery Book” translated by Arthur Arberry in 1939 and the Hispanic-Moorish Cookery text of the same era mention cinnamon along with other spices. Many of recipes include quantities far in excess of the pinches and teaspoons that modern-palates find acceptable. One shopping list for a wedding feast for 20 lists half a pound (200 grams) of cinnamon. By the 18th century such highly spiced food was no longer desirable at the tables of western Europeans.
Despite the wide use of the spice, its origins were still unclear until the early 16th century when the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka. For just over 100 years the Portuguese had a virtual monopoly over the trade until the Dutch captured the country and the Dutch East India Company eventually took over the cultivation of the finest quills cinnamon. The methods they introduced are still widely used to this day.
Cinnamon or cassia sticks can be kept for two to three years in the right conditions, in an airtight container away from heat and humidity. Grinding releases the aromatic scent of the spice and for this reason will not keep well for very long. It is better to buy small amounts of freshly ground spice whenever required rather than store a larger quantity for any length of time. The choice of cinnamon or cassia depends of the purpose for which it is intended and sometime a blend of two will add the sweetness of true cinnamon with the bold aroma of cassia.
Cinnamon complements a number of recipes including cakes, sweet pastries and biscuits, fruit (especially poached or stewed), curries and a range of dishes within older Turkish and Ottoman cuisine such as cold fish stews and soups.
Chemistry in the kitchen
A mixture of essential oils in spices gives each their characteristic flavor. The fact that they are oils suggests that their chemical structure is similar to other oils and thus more soluble in oil than water. Extracting flavor from spices is usually done in oil and infusions in vinegar or alcohol. Vinegar and alcohol can dissolve flavor in chemicals because despite their “watery” appearance, their chemical structure also slightly resembles an oil.
Almost every spice stall in the Spice Bazaar in İstanbul will have small bundles of dark reddish brown cylinders of something that is labeled cinnamon. Closer inspection of the aromatic bark will show the learned cook that almost all the product available is in fact cassia. From a distance it looks the same and up close the fragrance is similar, but there are differences that your home spice grinder will tell you about.
True cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon, as the name suggests originates from the former Ceylon, or Sri Lanka, as it is known today. In its wild state it will grow up to 17 meters tall, but when cultivated, the evergreen tree is continuously cut down and usually reaches a maximum of three meters. Various cinnamon and cassia bark is produced for the world market in southern India, Java, Sumatra, the West Indies, Brazil, Vietnam, Madagascar and Egypt.
Cinnamomum verum (or C. zeylanicum) is the species responsible for true cinnamon and Cinnamomum aromaticum for much of the cassia used in food preparation. Apart from the differing plants, the process and treatment of the trees’ bark also differentiates cinnamon and cassia. The single, more brittle cinnamon scroll comes from young shoots that grow after the tree is coppiced. Every season, the tree is cut back and new growth develops. The bark from these small branches is removed and the thin inner layer becomes cinnamon. Each quill contains sheets of this fine dried bark.
The traditional cinnamon workers of Sri Lanka belonged to a caste (the Chalais) that were exclusively involved in the harvesting and processing of cinnamon who emigrated from India in the 13th century. Cinnamon peelers, as they are described in English, work in groups of two or three families and contract their work to local farmers. Each quill that makes its way to market has been hand peeled, packed and carefully dried, often in the home of these workers. Some describe the peelers work as the most dexterous skill in the spice trade today.
Cassia on the other hand is the complete outer bark of the C. aromaticum tree. Where each layer of bark used to make true cinnamon is about half a millimeter thick, a single layer of cassia bark is two to three millimeters thick. Cassia is tougher, woodier and generally rolls into a double scroll with the ends meeting each other in the middle. Cassia is impossible to grind with a home spice grinder and is generally used whole. Commercial grinders can do the job and ground cassia is found in many shops. Again it will be labeled cinnamon, yet it will be a coarser powder, darker in color than its finer, paler cousin.
True cinnamon is suitable for desserts where just a hint or a subtle sweet taste is desired. The aroma of cassia is much bolder and often used in savory dishes that can support the stronger flavor. To confuse the cook further there are several “types” of cassia available and the strengths of each of these differ. Cinnamomum loureiroi, or Saigon cinnamon, has the highest content of essential oils and is thus the most expensive of the main cassias found. Seen in market stalls it resembles larger pieces of dried bark in the same reddish brown as the smaller scrolls but often not in rolled form.
Cinnamon has a long and illustrious history. In ancient Egypt cinnamon was more precious than gold. It is said that Roman Emperor Nero burned a years supply of cinnamon when his wife died, a monumental gesture at the time to demonstrate the enormity of his loss. Despite the significance of the spice, its origins were little known as Arab traders kept their sources secret. In fact it not known whether the cinnamon referred to was real cinnamon or cassia.
Cinnamon was known to the Seljuk kitchens of the 11th to 14th centuries and became part of the rich culinary legacy bequeathed to Ottoman and to a lesser extent Turkish cuisine. The use of the spice continued throughout the centuries to be lost in the latter years of the Empire. As late as the 19th century cinnamon was an important ingredient in dishes and also a condiment added when finishing a dish, much the same as salt and pepper are used these days. In “A Manual of Turkish Cookery,” written in English by Türabi Efendi in 1864, many a recipe calls to, “sprinkle a little cinnamon over, and serve.” From soups to kebabs, stews and köfte, dolma, pilaf and all manner of desserts cinnamon is mentioned. These days it is rare to see cinnamon used in savory dishes, with the exception of some fillings for dolma.
Recipes from the 13th century “A Baghdad Cookery Book” translated by Arthur Arberry in 1939 and the Hispanic-Moorish Cookery text of the same era mention cinnamon along with other spices. Many of recipes include quantities far in excess of the pinches and teaspoons that modern-palates find acceptable. One shopping list for a wedding feast for 20 lists half a pound (200 grams) of cinnamon. By the 18th century such highly spiced food was no longer desirable at the tables of western Europeans.
Despite the wide use of the spice, its origins were still unclear until the early 16th century when the Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka. For just over 100 years the Portuguese had a virtual monopoly over the trade until the Dutch captured the country and the Dutch East India Company eventually took over the cultivation of the finest quills cinnamon. The methods they introduced are still widely used to this day.
Cinnamon or cassia sticks can be kept for two to three years in the right conditions, in an airtight container away from heat and humidity. Grinding releases the aromatic scent of the spice and for this reason will not keep well for very long. It is better to buy small amounts of freshly ground spice whenever required rather than store a larger quantity for any length of time. The choice of cinnamon or cassia depends of the purpose for which it is intended and sometime a blend of two will add the sweetness of true cinnamon with the bold aroma of cassia.
Cinnamon complements a number of recipes including cakes, sweet pastries and biscuits, fruit (especially poached or stewed), curries and a range of dishes within older Turkish and Ottoman cuisine such as cold fish stews and soups.
Chemistry in the kitchen
A mixture of essential oils in spices gives each their characteristic flavor. The fact that they are oils suggests that their chemical structure is similar to other oils and thus more soluble in oil than water. Extracting flavor from spices is usually done in oil and infusions in vinegar or alcohol. Vinegar and alcohol can dissolve flavor in chemicals because despite their “watery” appearance, their chemical structure also slightly resembles an oil.
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