| |
CLOVES
Cloves are the rich, brown, dried, unopened flower buds of Syzygium
aromaticum, an evergreen tree in the myrtle family.
The name comes from
the French "clou" meaning nail.
Traditional
Ethnic Uses
Cloves are used in spice cookies and cakes. Much of the world crop is
used in Indonesia for Clove cigarettes, called "kreteks".
Taste and
Aroma
Cloves are strong, pungent, and sweet.
A Few
Ideas
Ground Cloves add spicy depth to gingerbread, cookies, applesauce,
muffins, cakes, and other sweets. It's a secret ingredient in barbecue
and cocktail sauces.
Blend Ground Cloves with maple syrup and drizzle
over cooked sweet potatoes and squash. Add a few Whole Cloves to
bean and split pea soups (remove before serving). Eugenol (clove oil)
will collect and cake in the container when Cloves are stored in a warm
place.
If you choose to grind your own Cloves, do not use a grinder that
has plastic parts. Clove oil can cloud some plastics.
|
