Spice of Life Part II Cinnamon

Description:
This delicately fragrant, brown spice has a warm, sweet flavour. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, Burma, and the Malabar Coast of India, and is also grown in South America and the West Indies. It comes from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree. The outer bark of the tree is peeled away from the branches and the inner bark is rolled into quills, about one inch in diameter.

It comes to us dried, either rolled into sticks or ground into powder and is best kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. In Europe it’s mainly used in sweets, and in the Middle East it’s used in meat stews, especially those made with lamb.

It’s used in cakes, puddings, cookies, and bread, and can also added to meat and game stews, vegetables, stewed fruit, and curries. It can be sprinkled in coffee or tea and is delicious in hot chocolate.

History:
Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices, dating back as far as Ancient Egypt where it was used in embalming and religious ceremonies. It was brought to Europe by Arab traders who kept their source a secret in order to protect their control over it. Because cinnamon was transported via land routes that were difficult to traverse, it was very expensive. Its high cost made it into a status symbol in Europe. Along with being a sign of wealth, cinnamon was also popular because of its ability to preserve meat in the winter.

It was the most profitable spice in the Dutch East India Company trade, so much so that in the 17th century they seized the island of Ceylon from the Portuguese and then arranged to have the cinnamon sources along the coast of India destroyed so they could keep a monopoly on it. The French later seized Ceylon from the Dutch, then England seized it from the French. At that point other countries found it could be easily grown in other tropical climates, thus breaking the monopoly.

Medicinal Uses:
Medieval physicians used cinnamon in medicines to treat coughing, hoarseness, and sore throats.

Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties that help protect against disease. Its pre-biotic properties promote gut health and help fight bacterial and fungal infections. There is some evidence that suggests it can help lower blood pressure, and it has proven effective in lowering blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes.

Recipes:

Mexican Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus more for garnish)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons honey
1 finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin stream until combined. Whisk in honey and orange zest.
Heat over medium, whisking occasionally, until mixture is steaming and bubbles start to appear on the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and whisk in vanilla.
In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat cream and on medium speed until cream is softly whipped.
To serve, divide cocoa between 4 mugs, top each with 1 tablespoon whipped cream, and sprinkle with cinnamon.


Cinnamon Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 frying chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
First make marinade.
In a medium size bowl, mix the dry sherry, cinnamon, honey, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and toss to a evenly coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.

To cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the chicken, shaking off excess marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until it begins to thicken and about 1 cup remains, 5 to 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides. Pour the reduced marinade over the chicken and place in the oven.
Bake about 20 minutes and serve.