To Read the Full Story. Subscribe Sign In. Continue reading your article with a WSJ membership. Resume Subscription We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. The extra-local trade of cassia dates back to antiquity, when it was carried along certain routes predating the appearance of other cinnamon species. It is identifiable in herbals from the second and third century BCE, and it is likely that the cinnamon referred to in the Bible is cassia and not true cinnamon.
According to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, written in Greek around the middle of the first century CE, cassia was being moved through Indian harbors and shipped past the Gulf of Aden to Somalia. But these maritime traders did not necessarily know where the cassia was harvested. In time, Sogdian and Persian traders on the Silk Roads did become aware of the source of the spice and named it dar-chin, with the chin referring to China and the dar possibly meaning fragrant or spicy wood.
The Uighur in western China still use the term dar as a generic reference to spices. By the time cassia and other cinnamons had been traded through Central Asia and India to the West, their origins had been wonderfully mythologized. In The History, the very gullible Herodotus wrote that huge birds in Arabia used cinnamon quills to build their nests, and in order for the Arabs to secure the cinnamon for themselves, they would put big chunks of meat on the ground under the nests. The birds, tempted by the food, would carry it up to their homes, thereby forcing the nests to collapse under so much weight.
As the nesting materials fell to the ground, the cinnamon would be gathered by the ever-patient Arabs waiting below them. If that were not enough, Heodotus also believed that cassia grew in shallow lakes in Arabia, where it was protected by loud, pesky bats. Cassia finds its way into many of the great spice mixtures of the world, from five-spice powder in China to baharat and qalat daqqa in the Middle East to moles and recaudos in Mexico.
Fun Fact: The cinnamon tree has been a valuable plant for thousands of years in cultures spanning the entire globe. For example, there are mentions of the spice in Chinese writings that date as far back as BC. Cinnamon is also referenced in multiple places within the Bible, placing the spice somewhere in the Middle East. Prepare: Dried cinnamon sticks can be added whole to drinks, soups, oatmeal, stews or even tea and coffee. Cinnamon powder is also frequently called for in many dishes both as a garnish and as an ingredient.
Nutritional: While cinnamon is very low in nutritional content, it does have properties that make it highly medicinal see below. Medicinal: High in antioxidants, cinnamon has been linked to everything from lowering blood pressure to reducing the risk of cancer. Warnings: It has been noted that in very high quantities cinnamon can cause unpleasant burning sensations, so be careful to not over-spice!
Also, consult with your doctor if you are taking blood sugar medication as cinnamon can impact its efficacy. More Details. How would you rate this plant? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Cinnamon Cassia. Cultivation Propagation Seed: If grown from seed, expect your cinnamon tree to need between 3 and 8 years to mature before the bark can be harvested. Climate Grows best in tropical climates where the weather is warm and moist for most of the year and winters do not have hard freezes. Light Natural: Prefers partial to full sunlight.
Growing Media Soil: Will do well in most soils but prefers well-drained soils that are slightly higher in sand. However, the cost of Ceylon cinnamon is significantly higher than Cassia cinnamon.
Expect to pay close to four times as much for Ceylon cinnamon. Real cinnamon sticks or quills curl in a telescopic form, in a perfect circle. But, cassia sticks curl inward from both sides, appearing like a scroll. Small pieces of the quills of either cinnamon or cassia are called quillings. When ground, it is hard to distinguish between the two.
But the difference is in the color and smell of each of the spices. Cinnamon is warmer in tone and tan in color with a sweet flavor. Cassia is more of a reddish brown in color and has a more coarse texture, with a stronger, yet more bitter flavor.
Cinnamon: a multifaceted medicinal plant. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
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