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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Adventures on the cinnamon trail
A l Goetze
Spice Buyers Journal
Cinnamon is tops on my
list of the most important
spices. I like everything
about it! If I had my way,
I’d eat it at breakfast, lunch
and dinner (and sometimes,
I do). Cinnamon is the bark
of a tropical evergreen tree.
The countries where it flour
ishes are beautiful, with lush
green, mountainous terrain
and diverse cultures. What
most people don’t realize is
that there are several differ
ent, but related, sub-species
of the genus Cinnamomum.
Each has similar, but dis
tinct, flavor nuances.
Cinnamon grows in the
tropical highlands of Sri
Lanka, Indonesia, China,
and Vietnam. Sri Lankan
cinnamon comes from a
small, young tree and has a
very thin bark that releases
a mild flavor with a citrusy
note. It is not commonly
used in the U.S. Vietnamese
cinnamon is from a large,
older tree and yields a stron
ger, bolder taste profile simi
lar to cinnamon red-hot can
dies. Indonesian cinnamon,
also known as Korintji, has a
delicate flavor warm and
sweet with a touch of spicy.
Indonesian cinnamon
is what most Americans
have enjoyed since child
hood. It grows prolifical
ly in the majestic volcanic
mountain ranges of Western
Sumatra. Korintji is actu
ally the name of a famous
mountain that still has cin
namon trees growing wild
alongside newer, cultivated
trees. Indonesia is the larg
est producer of cinnamon in
the world today. Cinnamon
quills are hand-harvested by
farmers and range in length
from 2.5 to more than 12
inches. After harvest, the
quills are sun dried and then
sent to market for sales to
the U.S. and Europe.
Vietnamese cinnamon,
also known as Saigon,
is the most coveted and
exotic cinnamon available.
Though, in America, we’ve
only been able to enjoy its
premium taste during the
past decade, Saigon is well
worth a try. The word for
cinnamon in Vietnamese is
que (pronounced “kway”).
Saigon cinnamon has double
the amount of volatile oil
of Korintji. The volatile oil
is what delivers the flavor
and aroma higher content
means greater intensity.
Recently, I traveled to
Huong Hoa to observe the
latest farming and harvest
ing techniques. I flew from
Ho Chi Minh to the town
of Da Nang where I met up
with my local guide, a spice
merchant named Binh. This
REA
From page iC
and mix well. Serve imme
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1 cup sugar
2 cups orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
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part of Vietnam is exquisite,
with landscape extremes
from barren, sandy beaches
on the China Sea, to ancient
towns such as Hue and mag
nificent foothills that rise
rapidly to a backdrop of high
mountains.
Almost all Vietnamese cin
namon is grown on small
farms with trees cultivated
from seedlings. The best
bark comes from trees that
are 15-25 years of age. As a
result, only a small quantity
less than 1,000 tons of
premium bark is harvested
each year. At harvest time,
the farmers cut down the
trees and remove the bark,
in three-foot sections, with a
small knife. The first three
feet from the base of the
tree have the thickest bark
and highest flavor concen
tration. The higher up the
tree, the thinner and less
flavorful the bark.
Sun drying, over a period
of several days, causes the
bark to curl into quills, which
are sorted by bark thickness
and general appearance,
then prepared for sale in a
nearby village market.
At one of the farms we vis
ited, the farmer offered me
some small pieces of fresh
bark to taste. The flavor
was, as expected, simultane
ously sweet and hot. It was
wonderful!
Back at my seaside hotel,
I sampled some of the local
cuisine, including roast
duck, pork five spice and
Pho (a traditional noodle
soup), while taking in the
view of the beautiful China
Sea to the East and the sun
set over the cinnamon trees
growing to the West.
No spice rack is complete
without two essential types
of cinnamon Korintji and
Saigon. Think Korintji for
sweeter, balanced flavor and
Saigon for a more robust,
intense taste. Here are a
few my favorite ways to
enjoy each variety:
■ Korintji cinnamon, sim
ply labeled “cinnamon,” is
ideal for cakes, pancakes,
French toast, oatmeal cook
ies, cinnamon buns, apple
pie, mashed sweet potatoes,
and spice rubs for chicken
and pork.
Saigon cinnamon (avail
able in the McCormick
Gourmet Collection is best
used in dishes that have a
more complex flavor, such
as roasted vegetables, tart
and citrus fruits, steak rubs,
marinades and vinaigrettes,
chili, and stews.
Cinnamon
Streusel Cake
with Irish Cream
-3/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups ginger ale.
Combine fruit juices and
sugar. Chill. Add chilled gin
ger ale just before serving.
Hot Chocolate
Mix
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dry creamer
1/2 cup nonfat dry mil
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McCormick
Cinnamon Streusel Cake with Irish Cream.
Glaze
A ribbon of cinnamon
weaves a warm, sweet fla
vor and aroma through this
cake. A distinctive glaze,
made with Irish cream
liqueur, adds a festive touch
that’s perfect for a special
occasion.
Streusel Topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup firmly packed
light brown sugar
1 tablespoon
McCormick Ground
Cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup chopped pecans
Cake:
2/3 cup butter, soft
ened
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 tablespoon
McCormick Pure Vanilla
Extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking
soda
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’
sugar
1 tablespoon Irish
cream liqueur
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
Preheat oven to 325
13 cup cocoa
Dash of salt
Sift together and stir well.
Store in airtight container.
To use: place 2-3 heaping
teaspoons in a cup and add
hot water.
Instant Spiced
Tea
1 teaspoon ground cin
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degrees. For Streusel
Topping, mix flour, brown
sugar and cinnamon in
medium bowl. Cut in cold
butter with pastry blender
or two knives until mixture
resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in pecans. Set aside.
For cake, beat butter,
sugar and sour cream in
large bowl with electric
mixer on medium speed until
light and fluffy. Add eggs,
1 at a time, beating well
after each addition. Mix in
vanilla. Gradually beat in
flour and baking soda on
low speed until well mixed.
Sprinkle 1/2 of the Streusel
Topping evenly over bottom
of greased and floured 12-
cup Bundt pan. Spoon 1/2
of the batter over Streusel
Topping. Repeat layers.
Bake one hour or until
toothpick inserted in center
comes out clean. Cool in pan
10 minutes. Remove from
pan. Cool completely on wire
rack. Prepare glaze, mixing
all ingredients in small bowl
until smooth. Spoon evenly
over cooled cake. Let stand
until glaze is set. Makes 18
servings.
A note from the McCormick
Kitchens: As they bake,
these delicious cookie bars
namon
2 cups Tang
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground
cloves
1 cup Instant Nestea
1 (10 oz) pkg. instant
lemonade
Mix all ingredients well.
Store in airtight container.
Use two teaspoons tea per
cup of hot water.
1 Meat + 2 Vegetables + Bread + Tea
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will fill your home with the
warm, sweet aroma of cin
namon.
Glazed
Cinnamon
Cookie Bars
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter,
softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, separated
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon
McCormick Ground
Cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped
pecans
1 cup confectioners’
sugar
4 to 5 teaspoons water
Preheat oven to 300
degrees. Beat butter and
granulated sugar in large
bowl with electric mixer on
high speed until light and
fluffy.
Add egg yolk; beat well.
Add flour and cinnamon;
beat on low speed until well
blended.
Press dough out evenly
into a 1/4-inch thick rect
angle on large (at least 15 x
12-inch) ungreased baking
sheet. Beat egg white until
foamy. Brush on dough.
Russian Tea
This is an old-time favor
ite for Southern parties
1 tablespoon tea leaves
5 to 6 whole cloves
3 (1 inch) sticks cin
namon
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon
juice
1/4 cup sugar
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Sprinkle evenly with nuts;
lightly press into dough.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or
until lightly browned. While
still hot, cut into 2 1/2xl
1/2-inch bars, then remove
from baking sheet and cool
completely on wire rack.
Mix confectioners’ sugar and
water in small bowl until
smooth.
Drizzle over cooled bars.
Let stand until glaze is set.
Makes 3 dozen.
Cranberry,
White Cnocolate
& Macadam ia
Cookies
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon
McCormick Gourmet
Collection Saigon
Cinnamon
1 teaspoon b iking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter,
softened
1/2 cup granulated
sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed,
light brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons McCormick
Pure Vanilla Extract
4 ounces white baking
chocolate, chopped
1 jar (6.85 ounces) mac
adamia nuts, chopped
1 cup dried cranber
ries
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix flour, cinnamon, baking
soda and salt in small bowl.
Set aside.
Beat butter and sugars in
large bowl with electric mixer
on medium speed until light
and fluffy. Beat in egg and
vanilla. Gradually beat in
flour mixture. Stir in choco
late, nuts and cranberries.
Drop by heaping tablespoon
fuls 1 1/2 inches apart onto
ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or
until golden brown. Cool 2
to 3 minutes; remove from
baking sheets. Cool com
pletely on wire racks.
Makes 2 dozen.
A note from the McCormick
Kitchens: Change up your
typical mashed sweet pota
toes with this colorful, easy
side dish. The robust flavor
of Saigon cinnamon makes
this recipe taste as good as
it looks!
Roasted Sweet
Potatoes with
Cinnamon Pecan
Crunch
1/2 cup firmly packed
brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons orange
juice ,
2 teaspoons
See CAKE, page 6C
3 additional cups boil
ing water
Put the tea leaves, cloves
and cinnamon sticks in an
earthenware or glass teapot.
Cover with three cups boiling
water. Cover and let steep
for five minutes. Strain into
a large heatproof container.
Add juices and sugar. Stir to
dissolve. Just before serving,
add three more cups boiling
water.
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