Cinnamon. My favorite spice. I use it from my coffee, cappuccino, yogurt and
fruit breakfast, to my apple crumble, apple cake and/or karidopita (walnut
cake) and anywhere else I can incorporate it
My mother and grandmother baked
with it. The aroma of cinnamon permeated
our home during the holidays when I was growing up. From baklava to melomakarona (honey cookies
dipped in sugary syrup), to halva (a cake made of coarse semolina cooked on the
stove top with cinnamon, and its flavor enhanced with gold raisins and chopped
almonds or walnuts).
Cinnamon has been around for
centuries. Some websites claim that
cinnamon came to ancient Greece through Egypt.
The word cinnamon comes from the ancient Greek word κιννάμωμον
(kinnámōmon, later κίνναμον kínnamon).
Cinnamon was imported to Egypt in the early 2000BC. Some report that cinnamon came from China but it’s confused with cinnamon cassia. True cinnamon comes from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In ancient Greek times, Herodotus and Aristotle named Arabia the origin country for cinnamon. In the Middle Ages, cinnamon was still a mystery to the Western world. During the 1500’s while Ferdinand Magellan was searching for spices, he found another species of cinnamon that’s similar to the one in Sri Lanka. Eventually, the Dutch traders established a post in Sri Lanka, and expelled the Portuguese who had sole control of the Sri Lankan cinnamon.
The cinnamon tree has oval shaped leaves, a thick bark and berries. To harvest it, the cinnamon tree is cut back to a size of a stump, and the following year new shoots come through. The new stems are cut and are processed immediately while the bark is still wet. They are stripped of their bark, by beating the outer part with a hammer to loosen the inner bark. Then it’s left to dry for 6-8 hours in a well-ventilated and warm environment. It dries into a meter roll and then is cut into 2–4-inch length for sale.
Cinnamon had and still has many
uses through out its history. Egyptians
used it to embalm the mummies. Indians
used it to ward off evil spirits. It is
used in Indian, Chinese, Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, and even Mexican
cuisine. Cinnamon is known to be used in
many dishes, like pork, lamb, beef, vegetarian dishes, like roasted butternut
squash, sweet potatoes, beans, chili and many other dishes and sweets.
Cinnamon also has many
anti-inflammatory properties. It can
improve cholesterol levels, lower blood sugar, could prevent heart disease,
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and could also kill cancer cells. It also has a
component called coumarin. When consumed
in excess can cause kidney and liver damage.
Cinnamon is an excellent spice and when used in moderation can brighten the flavor of any dish, either sweet or savory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamon
https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/cinnamon1.htm
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-cinnamon#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4
In favor of cinnamon, I created
this Banana Cinnamon cake with chocolate chunks and walnuts. Enjoy!
Banana Cinnamon chocolate cake
5 Bananas smashed
In a bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another mixing bowl beat together the eggs, sugar, canola oil, smashed bananas and vanilla. Add the flour mixture. Beat well till all is incorporated. Chop the chocolate, and the walnuts. Fold into the mixture.
Grease a bread loaf pan with butter and coat with flour. Bake at 350°F for about an hour, or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve and enjoy!
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 51.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 101 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 6 g | 9 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 7 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 7 mg | 2 % |
| Sodium 585 mg | 24 % |
| Potassium 62 mg | 2 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 12 g | 4 % |
| Dietary Fiber 1 g | 4 % |
| Sugars 6 g | |
| Protein 2 g | 3 % |
| Vitamin A | 1 % |
| Vitamin C | 2 % |
| Calcium | 1 % |
| Iron | 4 |
