As children we looked forward to December because once we got done with the half yearly exams ,it was holiday time.
As children we looked forward to December because once we got done with the half yearly exams , it was holiday time. While the parents looked forward to plum pudding and other holiday treats we would wait for Santa Claus to stop by or go to the neighbourhood club for some Christmas cheer.I also remember being made to come downstairs in my nightclothes just so we could invite the caroling group inside for a bite to eat while listening to their melodious voices singing the familiar carols.
I must confess that as a child I never did like plum cake or any of those foods that had some other strong taste to overpower the taste of sugar !!! If I was allowed to I would have liked nothing better than to just feast on the sweet frosting.
Of course things have changed now. I discovered what those strong tastes were.It wasn’t until much later that I began to associate the aromas of Christmas goodies with spices. Now I enjoy infusing not just my food but also beverages with aromatics of all kinds. The spice that tops the list and always comes out a winner is undoubtedly the cinnamon.
It’s one of those special ingredients that tastes so different depending on what it’s paired with.Just this week I received a bundle of whole cinnamon quills and to someone like me,a gift like that is appreciated triple fold.
The cinnamon in a garam masala brings out the earthiness of the spice, whereas when used to spice a drink or a dessert, the husky sweetness of the spice becomes instantly apparent. December weather has that gentle chill in the air.So,it’s a nice time of year to offer a variety of drink options when entertaining. Apples and cinnamon are a match made in heaven.
A much loved drink at home is warm apple cider with cinnamon.It’s so easy to make and in the process fills the kitchen with the uplifting scents of apple and cinnamon.And because it’s heated over a slow flame for the flavours to infuse, it keeps well for up to a week. It’s just as nice to drink when chilled. Choose a good brand of apple juice without preservatives, add in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar,cinnamon,a pinch of saffron for that golden colour and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes on low heat. Cover and let it infuse for an hour.
An alcoholic version of this would be to choose a nice bottle of home made wine and add it to a pot with some cinnamon sticks, orange rind, a small amount of ginger and jaggery if it needs sweetening up.
Cinnamon has powerful healing properties.It is known to have antioxidant effects and helps in fighting inflammations.It’s also highly beneficial in combating allergies arising from the cold virus which is probably why it became popular as a winter aromatic.
The smooth rolled curls are the actual cinnamon which has it’s origins in Srilanka and is commonly referred to as ‘ceylon cinnamon’. The cassia which is the dark rough bark ,also said to belong to the cinnamon family has a higher percentage of a substance called coumarin which is recommended only in very small doses.
The fragrant curled cinnamon sticks are available at many stores in Coimbatore like ‘Nuts n spices’, ‘Orga foods’ as well as the supermarkets. Look for a brand that appeals to you the most and stick with that.Cinnamon powder is good to add to desserts but using it whole when brewing a tea or making a soothing drink is one of the best ways to enjoy it.
Instead of buying green tea sachets, try making a simple tea with home grown herbs like basil or mint and add a small piece of cinnamon to the water.
Let’s hope that the temperature dips over the next few days and we can enjoy cold evenings with our fingers wrapped around a mug of delicious marshmallow topped hot chocolate flavoured of course with a fat cinnamon stirrer !