Topic: What Cinnamon Sticks to get

[raygraham]

Hi all,

Just a quick query. At my local Asian supermarkets I buy whole cinnamon called "Cassia Bark" and resemble the outside bark chippings of a tree being dark and rugged in looks. On the other hand my local Holland and Barrett sells Cinnamon Quills ( dead posh ), much smoother and light brown in colour, with a stronger smell and the shape and thickness of a pencil. So which am I to use or doesn't it matter?

[George]

I buy whole cinnamon called "Cassia Bark" ....

I understand that Cassia and Cinnamon bark are from different trees and have a different flavour. Don't use one, where the other is specified!

Regards
George

[DARTHPHALL]

I use Cassia bark for my rice dishes.

[Dylan]

Most BIRs use cassia bark (because it's a lot cheaper than true cinnamon). Personally I think the taste is very similar. I findCassia bark a bit more peppery and "treacle" like.

[Dylan]

I've just looked up the respective flavor compounds of cassia and cinnamon - there's a lot of crossover between the two. They're really very similar.

[raygraham]

Thanks for your input everyone. I thought I was getting something of higher quality at Holland and Barrett and it certainly costs more but at all my Asian supermarkets they only sell Cassia Bark so reckon that's what goes in a BIR.

Regards
Ray

[pete]

These are a few of what I got the other day
Packed by East End
They are massive, and look nothing  like Holland & Barrett's cinammon quills
I don't think they taste that much different

[Mark J]

Cinnamon and cassia are from the same family, I use both as required but must confess they seem similar in taste to me when ground, I always use casia in pilau rice. What Pete is showing is cassia

[raygraham]

Thanks guys, and even photos to look at, cheers Pete. Now I know exactly what to get. And seeing as the price says 45p for a bagful I reckon you can't go wrong! Spices, their as cheap as chips!

[pete]

What Pete is showing is cassia

I reckon it's cassia bark as well.
But the package says cinammon.
Spice desription regulations, must be pretty slack.