from a phenolic compound, cinnamaldehyde,
of which cassia types have significantly more
than Sri Lankan types; the latter are more
subtle and complex, with floral and clove
notes (linalool, eugenol).
Cloves Cloves are among the most distinctive
and strongest of all spices. They’re the dried
immature flower buds of a tree in the myrtle
family, Syzygium aromaticum, which is native
to a few islands in present-day Indonesia.
Cloves were enjoyed in China 2,200 years
ago, but weren’t much used in European foods
until the Middle Ages. Today Indonesia and
Madagascar are the biggest producers.
The flower buds of the clove tree are
picked just before they open, and then dried
for several days. Their distinctiveness results
from a high content of the phenolic compound
called eugenol, which has a unique aroma that
is both somewhat sweet and very penetrating.
Clove buds contain the highest concentration