Super Herbs & Spices: Cassia Cinnamon

It’s September, so we are officially in pumpkin spice and apple cider season!  Soon enough, it will be time to bake all our favorite holiday cookies, pies, and other treats.  Baking spices reign supreme this time of year, but the one you’ll probably be tasting the most for the next few months is cinnamon.  While there are several types of cinnamon available from different origins, the type that is most used in North America is cassia cinnamon, also called Chinese cinnamon.  While cassia cinnamon originated in southern China, it has since become cultivated in South and Southeast Asia.  Our cassia cinnamon is sourced from India.

Origins of Cassia Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of an evergreen tree.  Its flavor is sweet, woody, and warm, making it a favorite ingredient for both sweet and savory foods.  Cinnamon use dates back at least as far as 2,800 BC, and it has been a highly valued spice since for thousands of years.  The compound responsible for cinnamon’s distinct taste and aroma, and the majority component of cinnamon essential oil, is cinnamaldehyde. 

Cinnamaldehyde is used for flavor and fragrance, and can be found in perfumes, candy, and drinks.  It’s a key ingredient in our Cinnamon Black blend, which gets more popular as the weather gets cooler!  Not only does it taste and smell great, cinnamaldehyde has many other uses.  It is a safe and natural insecticide and repellant for mosquitoes, is used in natural food preservatives, and can protect steel from corrosion.  It is antifungal and antibacterial, making cinnamon a popular ingredient for dental care products.

Our favorite uses for Cassia Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a wonderful tisane.  Steep 3 grams in 12oz of boiling water for 5-10 minutes for an evening drink.  Make it into a simple syrup for your café or bar by dissolving a cup of sugar in a cup of hot water, and steeping the cinnamon in the mixture for 15-20 minutes.  Steep cinnamon overnight in heavy whipping cream and make your own infused whipped cream!  One part cinnamon to three parts sugar is the perfect starting point for a homemade cinnamon sugar blend.  Many of our fall/winter favorites include cinnamon, such as Apple Cider Rooibos, Pumpkin Spice Puer, and Jack Frost Chai.

Shop Organic Cinnamon

Cinnamon Cider Smoothie

Pumpkin spice season is upon us, but so is apple picking time!  If you’re already burnt out on all those pumpkin goodies, it might be time to enjoy this cinnamon cider smoothie.

Ingredients:

1 apple (honeycrisp or another sweet varietal)

1 banana (frozen)

¼ cup Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)

¼ cup rolled oats

½ cup cinnamon apple cider

1 tbsp peanut butter

½ tsp cinnamon, ground

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth. Pour and top with fresh cinnamon, enjoy!