Cloves whole

also: Carnation

Description:
Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree, which originally comes from the Indonesian Moluccas. The bewitchingly fragrant spice made its way to Europe as early as the time of the ancient Romans. Here it is used for Christmas biscuits, mulled wine, soups, broths, stews and preserves. In oriental cuisine, cloves season hearty meat dishes and rice. In India, they are used in the preparation of curries based on tomato or yoghurt. The small buds are also used as an additive to tea (e.g. chai) and in numerous traditional spice mixtures (Garam Masalla, Quatre Épices, China Five Spice, Berbere).

Cloves are an excellent accompaniment to dark sauces, roast game, pork and poultry and the Christmas apple red cabbage. Also with mulled wine, apple pie, gingerbread and fruit compote.

Usage:
Cloves have a very intense aroma and quickly mask the taste of other ingredients when overdosed. Therefore, use them sparingly. For preparing soups and stocks, whole cloves can be added, either inserted into a whole onion or cooked directly in the liquid. Two to three cloves should usually be enough for one litre of liquid. The powder is particularly suitable for pastries and dishes in which whole cloves cannot be easily removed.

Tip: Cloves are also popular for soothing toothache and spiked in oranges as a room scent.

Well-known dishes:
Coq au vin, Nuremberg gingerbread, chai tea, red apple cabbage.

Aroma/taste:
Fruity-sweet aroma, pungent, numbing taste.

Harmonises with:
Ginger, cardamom, pepper, bay leaf, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon

Origin:
Madagascar