Cinnamon stories and uses.
Cinnamon was already given as a present to the temple of Apollo in ancient Greece.
According to Herodotus was growing in Arabia as well as incense and myrrh.
It was used for embalming, as medicine and as cosmetic from the Egyptians to kings Solomon and Moses, was commanded by God to prepare a ritual oil, with cinnamon, as its main ingredient.
The Romans offered cinnamon to their Gods; apparently the emperor Nerone burned a yearβs worth of the city of Rome supply at the funeral of his wife Poppea.
Indonesians, all through the middle ages, transported the bark of kayu manis, sweet wood, with rafters to East Africa.
Venetian traders held a monopoly over the spices until the Ottoman Empire started to trade.
The Ayurvedic physicians of India use cinnamon for respiratory problems, stomach upset and, of course, for diabetes.
Balances blood sugar, the Chinese use it for its warming quality, and it is the major ingredient in Tiger balm!
The Italians use it for flavoring the βMostardaβ.
The Moroccans in the stews called βtajineβ.
βSecretβ ingredient in Coca Cola.
In Europe popular in sweet puddings and pastries, apple pie, cinnamon rolls, cookies, sprinkled on toast, in apple strudel and in the Netherlands to make the Christmas cookies called Speculaas.
I use it on my chocolate, to spice the custard, on top of coconut and banana porridge, to make spiced wine and in the pastry used as a base for tartes and cookies.