Cinnamon

I think I sold my house because of the cinnamon. I really did. Every time someone came to view the house, an apple tart with sugar and cinnamon was in the oven—just about finished baking—because that’s when those aromas are at their most irresistible. I could have simply baked cinnamon with sugar and butter on its own, just to infuse the ground floor with a scent no one can resist. But I wasn’t about to miss an opportunity for cake, so I baked. Apple cake, with cinnamon. And brown sugar. And the sale was done.

Cinnamon is one of those sweet spices that has been a part of our kitchens for an astonishingly long time. Virtually everyone on the planet knows what you're talking about when you mention it. For me, growing up in Soviet times, cinnamon was king. No matter how hard things got, you could always find comfort in cinnamon (along with that ever-present, disastrous black pepper, pale bay leaves, cloves and allspice). There was no vanilla, cardamom or any other sweet spice. There was cinnamon and it was the thing you added to every sweet dish—ground up who-knows-how-long ago, stored in thin paper packaging that had lost most of its flavour. But no one cared. We had some. And that "some" made our baking so much better.

Even though we now have access to a vast array of spices, cinnamon remains one of my favourites—and, I suspect, many others’ too. When I think of autumn and apple season, I think of apple flatbreads and apple cakes. Both are best with cinnamon. Not to mention cinnamon buns, which are absolutely divine—especially when made properly.

It might seem like life is easier these days when it comes to buying good cinnamon, but in some ways, it’s actually harder. The choice is so wide that it can be difficult to know which one to pick: Ceylon, Indonesian, cassia, or some other variety. But one thing is certain—if you want the best, go the hard way: grate or grind the cinnamon yourself. That’s how you’ll get the freshest, most distinct taste and aroma. (Same goes for pepper, by the way.)

Cinnamon’s origins lie in India, and over time, it spread through Asia and eventually the rest of the world. Cinnamon sticks are made from the new shoots of the cinnamon tree—the outer bark is peeled away, and the inner layer is removed, rolled, and dried. In cooking, you can even use cinnamon berries—rare in the world of spices—which have a sweet, mildly spicy cinnamon flavour.

Cinnamon has been around for thousands of years and, like many spices, was first used for medicinal purposes rather than cooking. It didn’t take long before people started adding it to both sweet and savoury dishes. Once, cinnamon was so valuable it was used as currency. At one point, you could get about 5 kilograms of silver for just 350 grams of cinnamon. No wonder it attracted the attention of explorers like Columbus. Why was it so expensive? Simply because it masked the smell of meat and extended its shelf life, thanks to its phenolic compounds. Fortunately, today’s cinnamon is much more accessible—and far more creatively used. And remember: it’s not just for desserts. Try it in meat dishes, salad dressings, savoury sauces, curries, soups… the possibilities are endless.