"Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously."
-- Vanna Bonta
About Cinnamon
It’s scientific name: Cinnamomum Cassia and Cinnamomum Verum (the first is what you will commonly find but the second is "true cinnamon")
Originated: China and Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar (Cassia and Verum)
Cultivation: 4 countries (Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka) produce the majority of the world’s cinnamon. Cinnamon is an evergreen tree. To harvest the spice then cut down the tree every 2 years (don't worry the next year shoots will come back) Immediately after the outer layer is peeled and then about 0.5mm of the inner bark is allowed to dry and curl up. It is then cut into the cinnamon stick we all know and love.
In the Kitchen: both sweet and savoury dishes. Common in many Asian cuisines as well as throughout the Mediterranean. It’s a component of Chai, pumpkin spice and Chinese 5 spice blends. My favourite uses are in baking, on meat and a whisper in my coffee.
Cinnamon was highly sought after when the spice trade. It can be traced in usage back to 2000 BC in Egypt. Specifically Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) cinnamon was fought over time and again. The island was first taken over by the Portuguese in 1518, the Dutch then overthrew those occupiers in 1638 and held the island for 150 years before the British victory of the Anglo-Dutch war in 1784. By 1800 cinnamon had lost it’s rarity as it was being cultivated in other parts of the world.
In the beginning it was so sought after that it was considered an appropriate gift not only for royalty but for deities. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming. The spice was used for the preservation of aged meat due to its ability to inhibit bacterial growth and its fragrance covered the ripe meat smell. These two uses probably have something to do with one another. That cinnamon smell, mmmm, way better than death and rot. Medieval doctors used it medicinally for throat maladies like coughing and hoarseness.
The main thing about the history of cinnamon has to do with its expense. As with everything in The Spice Trade it was made to seem very rare and difficult to harvest. It was claimed that there were birds that harvested the cinnamon and used it to build their nests. The only way for the traders to get the cinnamon was to take it from those nests by toppling them from where they were. Of course we know now that cinnamon can grow in most tropical environments.
This idea of expense makes the story of Emperor Nero sound absolutely nuts (just like him!) He burned a year’s supply of cinnamon out of remorse after murdering his wife (his second wife… after murdering his first wife.) This was meant to show how sorry he was because of the great sacrifice of such an expensive item.
Mundane Uses
There are suggestions that cinnamon may help with a number of maladies but the research doesn't seem to be entirely conclusive. Most studies haven’t been taken to the human testing point but have shown results in cells petri dishes) and animals. The most common ailment is various parts of diabetes symptoms from cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels; it's possible that cinnamon can help. There is also some evidence that it will help with abdominal issues like IBS. In addition to these it may help his heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, HIV infection, tooth decay and allergies. Cinnamon does have antibiotic properties so this may be why there are suggestions of help with tooth decay and infection. It has also shown some anti-inflammatory properties so it wouldn't hurt to add some to your golden milk.
You can find links to some of these studies in the Healthline link below.
Magical Uses
Correspondences: Venus, Aphrodite, Mercury, Dionysus, Apollo, fire Mars, masculine. Personal and spiritual power, spirituality, healing, success, protection, luck, love, lust, strength, and prosperity.
How to Use it: Cinnamon can be used in pretty much any form you can think of. It’s edible, can be burned, used as essential oil, put in a simmer pot or used as home décor.
I think the most fun part about cinnamon is it can be added to any spellwork as a booster because of its ability to boost your personal/spiritual power. My personal favourite way to use it is as an addition to my coffee and then I can stir in whatever intention I want for the day.
In addition to this you can put it in a satchel for protection, burn it for money drawing, use it as an anointing oil on your third eye to enhance divination or add it to a date night recipe for a little added love and lust ;)
It’s scientific name: Cinnamomum Cassia and Cinnamomum Verum (the first is what you will commonly find but the second is "true cinnamon")
Originated: China and Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar (Cassia and Verum)
Cultivation: 4 countries (Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka) produce the majority of the world’s cinnamon. Cinnamon is an evergreen tree. To harvest the spice then cut down the tree every 2 years (don't worry the next year shoots will come back) Immediately after the outer layer is peeled and then about 0.5mm of the inner bark is allowed to dry and curl up. It is then cut into the cinnamon stick we all know and love.
In the Kitchen: both sweet and savoury dishes. Common in many Asian cuisines as well as throughout the Mediterranean. It’s a component of Chai, pumpkin spice and Chinese 5 spice blends. My favourite uses are in baking, on meat and a whisper in my coffee.
Cinnamon was highly sought after when the spice trade. It can be traced in usage back to 2000 BC in Egypt. Specifically Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) cinnamon was fought over time and again. The island was first taken over by the Portuguese in 1518, the Dutch then overthrew those occupiers in 1638 and held the island for 150 years before the British victory of the Anglo-Dutch war in 1784. By 1800 cinnamon had lost it’s rarity as it was being cultivated in other parts of the world.
In the beginning it was so sought after that it was considered an appropriate gift not only for royalty but for deities. Ancient Egyptians used it in embalming. The spice was used for the preservation of aged meat due to its ability to inhibit bacterial growth and its fragrance covered the ripe meat smell. These two uses probably have something to do with one another. That cinnamon smell, mmmm, way better than death and rot. Medieval doctors used it medicinally for throat maladies like coughing and hoarseness.
The main thing about the history of cinnamon has to do with its expense. As with everything in The Spice Trade it was made to seem very rare and difficult to harvest. It was claimed that there were birds that harvested the cinnamon and used it to build their nests. The only way for the traders to get the cinnamon was to take it from those nests by toppling them from where they were. Of course we know now that cinnamon can grow in most tropical environments.
This idea of expense makes the story of Emperor Nero sound absolutely nuts (just like him!) He burned a year’s supply of cinnamon out of remorse after murdering his wife (his second wife… after murdering his first wife.) This was meant to show how sorry he was because of the great sacrifice of such an expensive item.
Mundane Uses
There are suggestions that cinnamon may help with a number of maladies but the research doesn't seem to be entirely conclusive. Most studies haven’t been taken to the human testing point but have shown results in cells petri dishes) and animals. The most common ailment is various parts of diabetes symptoms from cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels; it's possible that cinnamon can help. There is also some evidence that it will help with abdominal issues like IBS. In addition to these it may help his heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, HIV infection, tooth decay and allergies. Cinnamon does have antibiotic properties so this may be why there are suggestions of help with tooth decay and infection. It has also shown some anti-inflammatory properties so it wouldn't hurt to add some to your golden milk.
You can find links to some of these studies in the Healthline link below.
Magical Uses
Correspondences: Venus, Aphrodite, Mercury, Dionysus, Apollo, fire Mars, masculine. Personal and spiritual power, spirituality, healing, success, protection, luck, love, lust, strength, and prosperity.
How to Use it: Cinnamon can be used in pretty much any form you can think of. It’s edible, can be burned, used as essential oil, put in a simmer pot or used as home décor.
I think the most fun part about cinnamon is it can be added to any spellwork as a booster because of its ability to boost your personal/spiritual power. My personal favourite way to use it is as an addition to my coffee and then I can stir in whatever intention I want for the day.
In addition to this you can put it in a satchel for protection, burn it for money drawing, use it as an anointing oil on your third eye to enhance divination or add it to a date night recipe for a little added love and lust ;)
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