Clove

In Which Dishes to Use Cloves?

Cloves pair wonderfully with chocolate desserts, lamb stew, soup, pot-au-feu, or in mulled wine. Be careful not to overdo it as its flavor is very potent.

How to Use Cloves?

Here are some recipe ideas to incorporate cloves into your cooking:

· Traditional pot-au-feu: Find the complete recipe on our blog;

· Honey and cloves chicken: After coating your chicken with honey, insert 8 cloves into your chicken;

· Detox infusion with cloves: Infuse 3 to 4 cloves in boiling water;

· Honey-roasted pineapple: In a saucepan, heat your honey with 4 cloves and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon before placing your pineapple slices;

· Cabbage stew: In a casserole, sauté 2 onions, carrots and add green cabbage leaves then pour water over the vegetables. Add a bay leaf and 4 cloves, let marinate for 20 minutes covered.

Click here to discover the recipe for homemade curry with cloves

The Aromas of Cloves

In the mouth, cloves have a biting and fresh attack with intoxicating minty flavors reminiscent of camphor and eucalyptus.

The texture and warmth of cloves make them particularly suitable for infusions and cooking.

However, be careful not to cook them for too long to avoid intensifying the flavors too much.

The Botany of Cloves

How do Cloves Grow?

Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree, scientifically known as Syzygium aromaticum. This tropical tree belonging to the Myrtaceae family (like eucalyptus, myrtle, or manuka) originates from the Moluccas archipelago in Indonesia.

The flowers are manually picked when the buds turn slightly red. Cloves are then sun-dried on mats and stirred to prevent fermentation before being calibrated and sorted by hand.

The Benefits of Cloves on Digestion

Cloves help maintain healthy digestion by contributing to digestive comfort. They are used to facilitate digestion and support appetite and taste without exacerbating problems for those sensitive to high levels of gastric acid.

The History of Cloves

Throughout the centuries, the clove tree has been introduced to South America, Africa, India, and Asia. Cloves were reportedly found on the floor of a burnt kitchen at the Mesopotamian site of Terqa in Syria dating back to 1700 BCE.

In the 3rd century BCE, Chinese courtiers chewed cloves to purify their breath before presenting themselves to the emperor. Cloves were introduced to French territory in the 18th century by the French agronomist Pierre Poivre, who recovered a few plants from the Moluccas islands as the Dutch tried to monopolize global trade.

Learn more about cloves