Cloves Whole

Ancient Romans called this spice ‘Clavus’ which is Latin for ‘nail’ and used it for perfume and incense. For centuries and to this day it is used to freshen breath and ease a tooth ache. Cloves are the unopened buds of a tropical evergreen tree and must be harvested by hand just before they bloom. Pickers must be discerning as the buds do not bloom all at once. The cloves are dried in the sun for several days until they harden and turn dark brown. They loose much of their weight when drying. One kilogram of cloves typically contains 15,000 buds. Cloves are highly aromatic, woody, warming and camphorous. They benefit from longer cooking time and the addition of alcohol or oil.

Suggested Use: preserved peaches, anything with beef or pork and hot drinks like cider or mulled wine.

44g