Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the brown inner bark of the cinnamon tree, people rolls the tree bark into a tubular form when it dries, and then cut the quills into cinnamon sticks. Cinnamon comes in two types, cinnamon sticks(the whole quill form) and ground cinnamon powder. Ceylon cinnamon (also refer to “true cinnmon” ) and Chinese cinnamon (also known as “cassia” ) are the most common varieties consumed, and the flavor of ceylon cinnamon is more subtle and fragrant, but ceylon cinnamon is more rare in America than Chinese cinnamon-cassia. Cinnamon is widely used as a spice and often served as a condiment in different cookings, it is considered as the most popular spice in the world. Some people like add cinnamon in desserts, such as pies, liqueurs, and hot cocoa, while others like use cinnamon in savory dishes of chicken and lamb.

Cinnamon

Provide:

Bothe stick and powder form cinnamon is available year-round in supermarkets, and if you want more refined tasting variety, go shop in a local spice store or ethnic store.

Purchasing Tips:

Cinnamon is available in either stick or powder form, when purchasing, smell it to make sure that it has a pleasing sweet smell, which indicating fresh.

Storage:

Both stick and ground powder cinnamon should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container, and place in a cool, dark and dry place. Ground powder cinnamon will keep for about half a year, while the cinnamon sticks will stay for about one year. Refrigerate can prolong the shelf life of cinnamon if necessary.

Nutritional and Health Benefits:

Cinnamon is rich in manganese, dietary fiber, calcium and iron. It is also good at treating toothache, bad breath, common cold and aid digestion.