| Cinnamon is the thinly rolled inner bark of an evergreen tree that grows mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka, in Madagascar, and in the West Indies. As well as a flavoring for sweet and savory dishes, cinnamon can be used medicinally; it acts as a digestive and stimulant, and calms the stomach. It also a natural antiseptic. In India cinnamon is commonly used in meat and rice dishes, and in Garam Masala (see garam masala). It is also one of the ingredients of commercially manufactured curry powder. It may also be used in stick or powder form in sweets, cakes and curries. Sticks used for flavoring pullao are not eaten, but removed at the time of eating. Do not use powdered cinnamon as a substitute where cinnamon sticks are called for. Cinnamon is probably most widely used as a flavoring in Turkey and Egypt. It has been known in Great Britain for hundreds of years, but nowadays its use is confined to sweet dishes such as hot cross buns, fruitcakes, and mincemeat, and to mulled wine. A mixture of equal parts of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is often used to spice bread and cakes. Yet in the medieval times, when spices were in more general use in Great Britain, cinnamon was frequently added to meat or even fish dishes. In the United States cinnamon is widely used in cakes and pastries, often combined with apples, while cinnamon toast is a popular snack. |
