Cinnammon Sally
Animal Farm Rule: Some flavours transform a dish more than others. Cilantro is one of them – lemony, verdant, dominant. Cinnamon is another. It’s subtler, and my current obsession (among others). It goes with everything.
Starting with tomato sauce. This is a weird (but good) tip. Add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to softened onions and garlic per 28 oz can of plum tomatoes. I also add finely shredded carrots (and perhaps more sneaky shredded vegetables) at this point, then the tomatoes, once the vegetables are smooshy soft. This is good stuff for poached fish.
Cinnamon sticks are welcome in syrup of any sort, hot cider, and more frequently in hot liquor (red wine or bourbon). It’s a nice addition to braising liquids for slow-cooked meats. I use powder or a stick in chili, especially turkey chili which benefits from the colour and depth of the spice.
For fragrance, I’ll throw some sticks in water, put it over low heat to simmer and perfume the kitchen air. The infused water is then nice to drink as a tea or to poach fruit in.
I look forward to discovering more untold delights, my spice friend.