Cinnamon

Description

Cinnamon is one of the oldest and most popular spices in the world, made from the inner bark of trees belonging to the Cinnamomum genus. When the bark dries, it naturally rolls into the recognizable curly sticks (called quills) that we use in cooking. To obtain it, artisans carefully shave the outer bark of the tree, scrape out the delicate inner layer, and let it dry in the sun. As it dries, the bark naturally curls up into the familiar, hollow tubes we know as cinnamon sticks (or quills). Its signature warm, woody, and sweet aroma is driven by a natural essential oil called cinnamaldehyde. However, much like cardamom, what we call 'cinnamon' in the market is actually divided into two completely different species: Ceylon Cinnamon and Cassia Bark.