ceylon cinnamon

origin: Sri Lanka

New - metre long Cinnamon Quills now available!!!

The highest grade from the best source of 'true' cinnamon, Sri Lanka.

uses: Add a couple of cinnamon quills to a spicy stew or curry to add a sweet scent and flavour. Add cinnamon quills to a pan of rice or even a pot of tea to add a beautiful perfume and sweetness.

recipe kits: tonka bean chocolate pots, pilau rice,doro wat, moroccan tagine, sri lankan coconut curry, zanzibari curry, sindhi biryani, chicken balti, bobotie, doro wat, cincinnatti 5 way chilli, urfa kofte kebabs, orange flower baklava, sri lankan love cake,

try this: i will never drink again,

Spice Notes

Origin: Sri Lanka

the outer bark stripped back from a Cinnamon tree to show the inner part used to make Cinnamon quills

inside the Cinnamon packing warehouse where the quills are rolled into metre lengths then tied in bales of 20-30kg

Cinnamon quills are added to both sweet and savoury cooking, particularly in southern India and Sri Lanka but the biggest export market is, surprisingly, Mexico where the sweetness of Sri Lankan cinnamon is really appreciated in many dishes and particularly with chocolate.

The best flavour is achieved if the cinnamon quills are crushed or fried in oil before adding other ingredients to release the essential oils. Ground cinnamon is best bought ground as its difficult to get it so fine in a home grinder (although buy as fresh as possible as it does make  real difference to the intensity of the flavour).

Cinnamon quills are the inner bark from the Cinnamon species Cinnamomum verum / Cinnamomum Zeylanicum from Sri Lanka. A small amount grows in South-west India and the Tenasserim Hills in Burma, however, Sri Lanka still produces 90% of the worlds ‘true’ cinnamon.  Large branches are cut from the trees, then the inner bark is stripped from the tree before the larger sheets of bark are filled with the feathers (smaller offcuts of bark) and tightly rolled together by hand to make long quills. They are then cut into the lengths you find on the shelves here in the UK.

Said to be one of the oldest of the spices, records of its use go as far back as 2000BC when it was used for embalming the pharaohs. Its strong deodorising qualities may have attributed to its popular use! It was also used as incense in religious temples and Moses is said to have commanded the use of Cinnamon and Cassia in the holy anointing oil.

Overland trade of Cinnamon reached North Africa, went through Venice and even to Russia. However, it all changed when Portugal decided to pursue such riches by sea which led to the turbulent spice trading years from 16th to 18th Century, the Portuguese and Dutch had many a fight over cinnamon claims and it was one of the main exports of the Dutch East India Company.

Medicinal Properties:
Cinnamon has anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiparasitic qualities.
Cinnamon is becoming more familiar in the medical world being beneficial in controlling blood sugar levels, particularly in those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.
Reduces blood cholesterol levels.

Anti clotting, inhibits bacterial growth in food.
Boosts cognitive function and memory

Uses:

• Added whole to fragrant rice; fry in some oil or butter, the coat the rice before adding water for cooking.   

• Add a couple of cinnamon quills to curry to add a sweet scent and flavour. Especially south Indian curries or dahls?? Sri Lankan, and coconut milk curries.

• Mexican stews – Birrias or chilli adds that little bit of sweetness that is often needed.

Cinnamon tea is popular in Mexico and South America. Just crush up some cinnamon quills and let brew. Becomes lovely and sweet, though sugar can sometimes be added - very Warming!   

• Or just add some broken quills to a pot of normal tea to add a beautiful perfume and sweetness.

• Combine ground cinnamon with sugar (more sugar than cinnamon) to sprinkle on toast, or even French toast. Or even sprinkle ground cinnamon on porridge in the morning.  

• A small pinch of ground cinnamon added to hot chocolate is unbeatable! ...could go further and add a little bit of ancho chilli powder to make it Mexican.