Wat is cinnamon?

Question

Wat is cinnamon?

Answer 1

cinnamon is something used as 'spice' in food... u can add cinnamon when u boil rice just to have a good flavour and perfume in it...

it is obtained from big trees (stem)... it is being peeled off from the trees' stems... it has a very strong perfume with it and added to food... especially used by asians...

and in french it is known as 'cannelle'

Answer 2

The short non wikipedia answer is that is the bark of a tropical tree.  You can buy whole pieces of bark in most stores and it's used in mulled cider in that form.

The cinnamon oil is the tree's natural defense against insects.  I've heard ants hate it.  I once worked in a bakery and had some cinnamon spilled on my shirt and after about 20 minutes I had to change my shirt because the cinnamon was burning my skin.

Answer 3

Cinnamon is a spice, although what is sold in the US and most other countries as cinnamon is not actually cinnamon at all, but its cousin, cassia, which is a very different spice.

True cinnamon, which is only grown in Sri Lanka and India, is tan in color and sweet to taste. Cassia, which is sold to fool people as real cinnamon (because real cinnmon is only found in those two countries, making it expensive) is produced in China, is brown and bittersweet.

Answer 4

a spice

Answer 5

If 'wat' is cinnamon, what is 'wat' ?  By the way, it is a herb!

Answer 6

A spice....    

Which is lovely with sugar on top of donuts!!!!

Answer 7

a yummy spice

Answer 8

CINNAMON



Spicing up everything from Middle Eastern stews to Mexican hot chocolate, cinnamon offers a unique combination of "heat" and sweet.



Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the inner bark of tropical evergreen trees. Stripped off and put in the sun, the bark curls into long quills as it dries. The quills are then cut and sold as cinnamon sticks or ground into a cinnamon powder.

A Little Bite of History

An age-old spice, cinnamon is often mentioned in the Old Testament and there's indication it was used in Egypt as far back as 3000 B.C. Today cinnamon remains a symbol of good luck in the Far East, and in Indonesia, a drink flavored with cinnamon is traditionally given to newlyweds.

Varieties

True cinnamon, or Ceylon, comes from the young shoots of a white-flowered shrub called Cinnamomum Zeylanicum. Considered to be the variety of better quality, this cinnamon is pale tan in color and mildly sweet in flavor. You may need to shop at a local spice store or ethnic market to find it.

Cassia, a close relative of Ceylon, is what's commonly sold as ground cinnamon in many countries, including the U.S. It has a darker, reddish-brown color and a more pungent, slightly bittersweet flavor.

Buying Tips

Cinnamon contains a eugenol, the same chemical compound that gives cloves their distinctive, fragrant aroma. Commercially ground cinnamon loses its flavor and aroma rather quickly, so buy it in small quantities. Better yet, but whole cinnamon sticks and grind them yourself as needed. The flavor is much more intense.

Storage Tips

Cinnamon should be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place. Ground cinnamon will keep for about six months, while the sticks will keep for up to one year. Cinnamon that doesn't smell sweet is no longer fresh and should be discarded.

Usage Tips

With a warm, exotic flavor, cinnamon adds richness to sweet desserts and savory dishes alike. Add a pinch to meat marinades, stews, curries and casseroles or sprinkle a little on black beans when making burritos or nachos. Use cinnamon sticks as swizzle sticks for hot drinks like cider, cocoa or hot buttered rum, or simmer the sticks with soy milk and honey for a deliciously comforting treat.

Instead of buying cinnamon sugar in bottles at the supermarket, save money and make your own. Simply combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with one tablespoon ground cinnamon. Store in an airtight container and it's ready to sweeten your coffee, fruit and toast or decorate your cookies and cakes.

Substitution Tips

In a pinch, substitute 1/4 teaspoon of allspice or nutmeg for 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Suggested Pairings

apples, bananas, bread, butter, caramel, carrots, chicken, chile peppers, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, couscous, cranberries, curry, ginger, honey, jerk spice, lamb, oatmeal, oranges, peaches, pecans, pork, pumpkin, raisins, rum, vanilla, walnuts, yams

Answer 9

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, synonym C. zeylanicum) is a small evergreen tree 10–15 meters (32.8–49.2 feet) tall, belonging to the family Lauraceae, and is native to India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.[1] The bark is widely used as a spice due to its distinct odor.

The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, 7–18 cm (2.75–7.1 inches) long. The flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish color, and have a distinct odor. The fruit is a purple one-centimeter berry containing a single seed.

Its flavour is due to an aromatic essential oil that makes up 0.5% to 1% of its composition. This oil is prepared by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in seawater, and then quickly distilling the whole. It is of a golden-yellow color, with the characteristic odor of cinnamon and a very hot aromatic taste. The pungent taste and scent come from cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde and, by the absorption of oxygen as it ages, it darkens in color and develops resinous compounds. Chemical components of the essential oil include ethyl cinnamate, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, beta-caryophyllene, linalool, and methyl chavicol.

The name cinnamon comes from Greek kinnámōmon, itself ultimately from Phoenician. The botanical name for the spice—Cinnamomum zeylanicum—is derived from Sri Lanka's former name, Ceylon.[1].

In Hindi cardamom is called Dalchini, and Gujarati called Taj.

Answer 10

Besides the answers already given it is also used with vanilla as the two main ingredients that provide the flavor for all colas.

Answer 11

a spice often found in deserts/sweets