Origin: Sri Lanka. Alternative names: True Cinnamon, or Ceylon Cinnamon
Description: Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of a bushy evergreen tree related to Laurel, native to Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and the neighbouring Malabar Coast of India. It has a delicately fragrant aroma and warm, sweet flavour.
History: Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices; its use has been recorded in Egypt as far back as 1,500 B.C. where it was sought for embalming, along with the similar cassia. Later it became popular in Medieval Europe as a flavouring for both sweet and savoury food, and later still was the most popular spice in the Dutch East India Company trade.
Use: In Asia cinnamon is commonly used to flavour a variety of foods, from confections to curries; whilst in Europe and the United States it is especially popular in pastries. Note:- In the USA the word "Cinnamon" commonly referes to cassia, and true cinnamon is called "Ceylon Cinnamon". This is an <a href=
