Fresh apple cider, infused with cassia, black peppercorns, cloves and crushed pods
of green cardamom, is a comforting hot drink on chilly fall days. In the U.S., the
spice sold as "cinnamon" is usually cassia, a close cousin.
No spice stokes the fire of well-being like cinnamon.
I crave its sweet, astringent flavor when a chill in is the air and the frost is on ground. After a walk in the woods, leaves crunching underfoot, the aroma of hot apple cider lures me into the kitchen, not just to thaw numb cheeks and hands, but to breathe in the warm, woody perfume of spices mingling with fruit, as cinnamon and apple bubble together over a low flame.
It is a comforting aroma which whispers seductively of home and hearth. “Light the fire,” it says. “Flop down on a cushion. Dream awhile.”
If ever we elected a national spice, I would cast my vote for cinnamon. We sprinkle it over our sugary doughnuts and bake it into our apple pies. Walk down the aisles of any supermarket and you’ll find cinnamon’s presence emblazoned on boxes of cereal, cans of air freshener and tubes of toothpaste. It’s one of Coca Cola’s top secret ingredients. A few years ago, a certain domestic diva made the news when she was caught smuggling a cache of cinnamon from a prison pantry to her cell, tucked in her bra.
But here’s the rub. This quintessential American spice--the one that conjures up cozy images of grandma’s homemade apple pie--actually comes from exotic Asia. What’s more, the spice we call “cinnamon” isn’t cinnamon at all, but cassia, a cousin which flourishes in Indonesia, Vietnam and China. True cinnamon, which comes mainly from Sri Lanka, is almost unknown here, though it is widely used in Mexico and other parts of the world.
The two spices are quite different, though both smell and taste like “cinnamon.”
True cinnamon is soft and crumbly; a stick or “quill” consists of pale, almost shaggy bark rolled into concentric layers. Sniff the bark and its aroma may seem pallid. Persist, however, and you will discover a complex fragrance: sweet, warm, and woody with whispers of clove and citrus. Nibble the bark and you will discover a delicate interplay between sweetness and astringency. This is a subtle spice, one which transforms, without overwhelming, whatever is in the pot.
Cassia is a more powerful spice. Light to dark reddish brown in color, the bark rolls inward from its two outer edges, forming hard, scroll-like quills that break with a snap. Its fragrance is pungent and smells strongly of cinnamon, but it is relatively one-dimensional. If you taste cassia, its sweetness quickly turns hot and it has a rough astringent finish. In cooking, a little goes a long way.
I’ll be writing more about cinnamon and cassia in the weeks to come, but in the meantime, if you’re curious, check out the cinnamon “newsletter” on The Global Province, the astonishingly literate website where I first began exploring the world of spices.
And now for an easy recipe: On a chilly fall day I love to brew hot apple cider spiced with cassia, black pepper, cardamom and clove. Simmering the cider concentrates its natural sweetness, while the cassia offers a balancing astringency along with the luscious flavor of cinnamon. Cardamom and clove are naturals with cider, while the peppercorns add an unexpected, but pleasing touch of heat.
Spicy Apple Cider
To make 2 cups
Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups fresh apple cider
One 2-inch stick of cassia (aka “cinnamon” in the U.S.)
8 whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 or 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
Two 4-inch sticks of cassia for garnish (optional)
Method:
1. Combine the apple cider and spices in a medium pot over a medium high flame. Briefly bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
2. Partly cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the flavor of the spices has infused the cider. Remove from the heat. Taste: If the cider is not spicy enough, cover the pot and let it steep 5 to 10 minutes longer.
3. Strain and pour into two mugs, with additional sticks of cassia, if desired.