Cinnamon: The Sweet Bark That Built Empires | Spice Library Record 008
Cinnamon: The Sweet Bark That Built Empires | Spice Library Record 008 Library Card Cinnamomum verum Scientific Name: Cinnamomum genus (key species: C. verum Ceylon cinnamon; C. cassia cassia) Family: Lauraceae (laurel family) Origin: Sri Lanka (Ceylon cinnamon); southern China and Southeast Asia (cassia) Part Used: Inner bark (dried and rolled) Flavor Profile: Sweet, warm, complex; gentle and floral in Ceylon; sharp and peppery in cassia Key Compounds: Cinnamaldehyde; coumarin (significantly higher in cassia) Historical Value: One of the three great ancient spices alongside pepper and cloves Storage: Whole sticks: 2–3 years in a cool, dry place. Ground: use within 6 months. Librarian's note: Most of the "cinnamon" in your kitchen is not true cinnamon. This record explains the difference — and why it matters. Welcome Back to the Spice Library Hold a cinnamon stick under your nose. That warm, sweet, slightly spiced complexity — simultaneousl...
