WHOLE CLOVES 250 GR
Whole Cloves 250 grNative to the Moluccas in Indonesia, Syzygium aromaticum is a highly fragrant plant that produces fragrant flower buds known as cloves. It is an aromatic tree. Cloves are widely cultivated in parts of Asia, Africa, and South America and have been an integral part of the spice trade for thousands of years. Cloves remain a popular ingredient in cooking, mulled wine, chai tea, and herbal formulations. Stimulating and aromatic, whole cloves are used in savory dishes in Middle Eastern, North African, Chinese, and Indian cuisines.
A widely used culinary spice since ancient times, cloves rival other well-known spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in popularity. Cloves are used in liqueurs and mulled wines, perfumes, and even love potions. More recently, clove oil has been used in dentistry for its beneficial properties.
Cloves are widely cultivated in Tanzania, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and South America, with Tanzania being the largest commercial cultivator. Zanzibar and Pemba Island, both regions of Tanzania, were once represented by a flag featuring two clove buds, representing the spice's influence in the region.
Cloves have been used as a culinary spice for thousands of years. A spice found in a ceramic vessel in Syria dating back to approximately 1,700 BC is believed to be cloves. Furthermore, trade between the Molucca Islands, where cloves grow naturally, and China dates back at least 2,500 years. During the Han dynasty, it was customary for court officials to hold cloves in their mouths when addressing the emperor to freshen their breath. Cloves were first brought to Europe by Arab spice traders in the 4th century, and in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Portuguese attempted to maintain their monopoly on the clove spice trade. However, the Dutch East India Company (called the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or 'VOC' in Dutch) gained control in the early 17th century. According to Jack Turner in his book Spices: A History of Temptation: "After the final expulsion of the Portuguese in 1605, the VOC began turning every clove in the world into a Dutch commodity." Turner also went on to infer that the Dutch were protective of cloves "like a jealous lover watching his beloved," apparently because there was so much to gain. The rate on cloves was nearly 2,000 percent, and furthermore, to maintain these artificially high prices, hundreds of thousands of pounds of spice were often ignited in huge bonfires. Eventually, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre began stealing the highly protected seedlings and shipping them to French colonies in the tropics, enabling other countries to cultivate the crop and thus ending the VOC's monopoly. In the early 1800s,
Traditionally, in the Moluccas, a clove tree was planted at the birth of each child, leading to an abundance of this spice. Various folk tales and myths surround the clove, which is believed to be imbued with magical powers of protection and love, and to be burned as incense to attract financial abundance. Furthermore, burning it as incense was thought to prevent others from gossiping about you. It was also used in exorcisms to ward off evil spirits.
It is widely used in Middle Eastern, North African, Chinese (in '5-spice powder'), and Indian cuisine. It is also essential in 'chai', a spicy Indian tea containing cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and black tea, as well as in garam masala, an Indian culinary spice used in curries containing turmeric and various spices. The strong flavor of cloves is not appreciated in other countries, and they are primarily used as a flavoring in various baked goods, such as gingerbread. Interestingly, cloves are not used much in cooking in their homeland, the Molucca Islands, but are instead extremely popular as cigarettes. In Ayurveda (the traditional healing system in India), cloves, referred to as 'lavanga', are not only used in the kitchen but have also been used as a medicinal herb to aid digestion, soothe nausea, promote lung health, and are considered a highly effective carminative. It is considered an energetically warm herb with a pungent flavor and is therefore most beneficial in cold or stagnant conditions. Similarly, in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), cloves are considered a warming herb that breaks up stagnant energy by promoting the flow of chi (energy) and is used to support the kidney, spleen, and stomach meridians.
Cloves are highly aromatic, pungent, and energetically warming. The dried flower buds are used as a culinary spice or ground into a powder as part of a tea blend.
Allergen Information:Packaged in a facility that also processes nuts (including peanuts), seeds, grains, soy, and gluten-containing products.
Product Information:Avoid contact with eyes, wash hands after use.
Usage Storage Conditions
Store in a cool, dry, odorless, and light-free environment.
Consume the product within 2 years of purchase.
•Does not contain colorants
•Does not contain preservatives
Country of origin:Sri Lanka
