The Mahdi Times The Mahdi Times, Issue #28, March 2015 | Page 19

A grade, as well as the B and C
grades of the grocery chain.
Vietnamese cassia cinnamon
and Chinese cassia cinnamons
are sweeter, spicier and more
aromatic than supermarket
cinnamons and hail from the
remote regions of southern
China and northern Vietnam.
The two come from the same
cassia tree, but undergo
different processes before
they’re shipped off to the stores.

To enjoy the stronger, richer
flavour of cinnamon sticks in
recipes calling for powdered
cinnamon, use a coffee grinder
or a spice grinder.

Buying and Storing Cinnamon
At the grocery store, sneak a
whiff of cinnamon before you
buy it. You want to pick up a
sweet scent right away—it’s a
sign that the cinnamon is fresh.

Cinnamon quills can allegedly
last for centuries under the
right conditions—but why wait
that long to enjoy yours? When
you buy cinnamon sticks, store
them in an airtight glass jar and
stash them in cool, dark, dry
place. Like any powdered spice,
ground cinnamon loses flavour
faster. It should stay potent for
about 6 months. You can extend
the longevity of cinnamon by
sticking it in the fridge in a
sealed container.

Spice Up Your Kitchen With
Cinnamon
Somewhere along the line,
cinnamon went from precious
and fabled spice of the nobility
to generic standby of kid’s
cereals and baked goods. Take
cinnamon back to its earthy,
savory beginnings and explore
the exotic Middle Eastern and
Mediterranean cuisines that
play up the power of cinnamon