Cinnamon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cinnamon |
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| Cinnamon foliage and flowers | |
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| Cinnamomum verum |
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Cinnamon (pronounced SIN-uh-mun) is a popular spice. It comes from the inside bark of certain trees in the Cinnamomum family. People use cinnamon in many foods, both sweet and savory. The word "cinnamon" also describes its warm, brown color. While there are many Cinnamomum trees, only a few types are grown to make the spice we use.
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A Look Back at Cinnamon's History
Cinnamon has been known for a very long time. People in Egypt were using it as early as 2000 BCE. Ancient people valued cinnamon so much that it was considered a gift for kings and even gods. An old writing tells us that cinnamon was given to the temple of Apollo in Miletus.
For many centuries, the people who traded spices kept the source of cinnamon a secret. This helped them control the supply and make more money. However, we now know that cinnamon originally comes from countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
Cinnamon was very expensive in ancient Rome. It was too costly to burn at funerals. But it is said that Emperor Nero burned a whole year's supply of cinnamon at the funeral for his wife, Poppaea Sabina, in AD 65.
In the 1500s, Ferdinand Magellan was exploring for Spain. He found a type of cinnamon in the Philippines. This cinnamon was similar to the one found in Sri Lanka, which was controlled by the Portuguese. This new discovery created competition in the spice trade.
Later, in 1767, the British East India Company started a large cinnamon farm. It was located near Anjarakkandy in Kerala, India. This farm became the biggest cinnamon estate in Asia.
How Cinnamon is Grown
Cinnamon trees are evergreen, meaning they stay green all year. They have oval-shaped leaves, thick bark, and small berry fruits. When people harvest cinnamon, they mostly use the bark and leaves of the tree.
To grow cinnamon, farmers let the tree grow for two years. Then, they cut the stems close to the ground. This method is called coppicing. The next year, about a dozen new shoots grow from the roots. These new shoots replace the ones that were cut.
The stems must be processed right after they are cut. This is because the inner bark needs to be wet. Workers scrape off the outer bark. Then, they gently hit the branch with a hammer. This loosens the inner bark, which can then be peeled off in long rolls.
The peeled bark dries completely in about four to six hours. It needs a warm place with good air flow to dry well. Once dry, the bark is cut into pieces about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) long. These pieces are then ready to be sold.
What Makes Cinnamon Taste and Smell So Good?
The special flavor of cinnamon comes from an essential oil. This oil makes up a small part (0.5 to 1%) of the bark. To get this oil, the bark is first pounded roughly. Then, it is soaked in sea water. After that, the mixture is quickly distilled. The essential oil is golden-yellow. It has the strong smell of cinnamon and a very warm, spicy taste.
How We Use Cinnamon in Food
Cinnamon bark is a widely used spice. It is mainly used in cooking to add flavor. In Mexico, cinnamon is often used in making chocolate. It is also used in savory dishes like chicken and lamb.
In the United States, cinnamon and sugar are often sprinkled on cereals, toast, and fruits, especially apples. You can even buy a special cinnamon-sugar mix for this purpose. Cinnamon is also used in Turkish cuisine for both sweet and savory meals. It can be found in pickling recipes and holiday drinks like eggnog.
Cinnamon powder is very important in Persian cooking. It adds flavor to many thick soups, drinks, and sweets. In the Middle Ages, cinnamon was used to make a spiced wine called claret. In India, cinnamon is often added to tea for flavor. It can be put in as small pieces or as a powder. In Hindi, cinnamon is called "Daal-Cheeni."
Traditional Uses of Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been used in traditional medicine for a long time. It has been studied for various health issues, like bronchitis or diabetes. However, there is no strong scientific proof that eating cinnamon has specific health benefits.
Images for kids
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Dried bark strips, bark powder and flowers of the small tree Cinnamomum verum
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Close-up view of raw cinnamon bark
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Cinnamon tree
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Cinnamon flowers
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Uncooked cinnamon rolls
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Quills of Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, left) and Indonesian cinnamon (C. burmannii, right)
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Cinnamon toast can be made with cinnamon baked in, or just sprinkled on top.
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Ferrara Pan Red Hots, a cinnamon-based candy
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See also
In Spanish: Árbol de la canela para niños
