Spicy Saturday: Cloves

In today's blog post we are going to discuss: Cloves ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀

Cloves are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia and they are primarily cultivated in Indonesia but they are also grown in India, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. A clove tree does not yield any fruit until the seventh year. Beginning in the seventh year the clove tree flowers bright red flower buds that are harvested by hand by workers that climb trees up to 50 Feet high to harvest them. Once the flowers are harvested the crop is sorted from the leaves and left out in the sun to dry for 3 days until they turn golden brown. Each clove tree yields on average a 7-pound harvest. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀
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Most people are familiar with using ground cloves but whole cloves also play an important part in the kitchen. Ground cloves is an essential ingredient in many spice blends such as Chinese Five Spice, Indian garam Masala, French Quatre Epices and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Whole cloves are often used in Hams and Pork Roasts

Cloves are used in a wide variety of foods and dishes such as: Punch, Roast Pork Tenderloin, Baked Ham, Apples, Carrots, Chocolate, Onions and Squash.

The flavor of cloves is bitter, hot, rich and a little sultry with hints of fruitiness while the aroma is strong with undertones of camphor and pepper. Cloves are one of the more pungent spices and their intensity can even be enough to “burn” your taste buds unless blended with other spices. Even when used with other spices cloves should be used sparingly as they will easily overpower any dish.

How do you use Cloves?? Comment Below

Come Savor The Flavor!!