Vietnamese Cinnamon

The use of cinnamon dates back over 4000 years ago.  It’s a safe bet to say that nearly every spice cabinet out there contains a bottle or two of it.  But does your cinnamon measure up to its full potential?

I recently started buying my spices at the local Penzey’s spice store.  What I like about going into their store, is that nearly every spice they sell is available for smelling before purchasing.  I decided that I wanted to buy some really good cinnamon, so I started opening up the samples to see which one had the most aroma.  The one I found to really impress was their Vietnamese Extra Fancy Cinnamon.

There were around three different kinds of cinnamon for me to choose from.  The first one was the Chinese Cassia Cinnamon.  I found this cinnamon it to be less pungent than the Vietnamese.  I would only use this cinnamon if you want a subtle taste of cinnamon in your recipe, with no lingering after effects. 

Another kind of cinnamon was the Indonesian Cassia.  This cinnamon is basically a higher quality version of the cinnamon you buy in the grocery store.  The taste is classic, and imparts sweetness.  I was satisfied with this cinnamon, but then I opened up the Vietnamese bottle……

Wow!  It was sharp, pungent, spicy, bold and had a very intense aroma.  I had to have this one.  If you want the cinnamon flavor to stand out in your cinnamon rolls or snickerdoodle cookies, then this is the cinnamon for you.  Vietnamese cinnamon is so flavorful that it is suggested on the bottle to only use 2/3 of what the recipe calls for.  But don’t let that scare you.  I have never cut back on it, and have been perfectly happy with the results.

Some interesting facts about cinnamon are:

          It is a spice obtained from the inner bark of the “Cinnamomum” evergreen, a species belonging to the Laurel family.  The bark is where you will find the volatile oils.

 

          Some cinnamon trees are nurtured for 20 years prior to harvesting.

         When the Vietnam War erupted, production of their cinnamon was put on hold.  The spice was unavailable for nearly 20 years.  Exporting started up again in the beginning of the 21^st century.  

     When it comes right down to it, it is a matter of taste and smell.  Don't settle for anything less than a good quality of cinnamon.  Go out and do the "smell test" and you will soon discover the difference. 

Live to bake with cinnamon!

Pam