History of Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks

During the Medieval period, practitioners of medicine would use cinnamon to treat coughs, hoarseness, and sore throats. It was also thought to soothe a worried heart, and it could act as a tribute to a deity for forgiveness. The Roman Emperor Nero had a year's supply of cinnamon burnt after he killed his wife in an act of remorse and to show the public he was sorry. During this time period, cinnamon was also one of the spices used to preserve meat, alongside black pepper. Cinnamon would help inhibit or stave off bacterial growth with the added benefit of making the meat smell better because cinnamon has such a lovely fragrance about it. In Ancient Egypt, cinnamon was a crucial part of the embalming process. It was considered a gift of such high esteem that it was designated to only the wealthiest people, including monarchs.

Because of its popularity, cinnamon crops were heavily guarded and kept secret by Arab traders who knew much more about it than the average person. They spread stories about giant, violent birds making their nests from cinnamon sticks to try and deter people from seeking out the spice for themselves. They told stories of how many a great man had lost his life to the hunt for cinnamon, as the only way you could get it was to lure the birds out with giant hunks of meat, which the birds would take up to their nest and if you were lucky, chunks of the nest or the whole nest would fall from its tree and you could quickly gather up a few quills. This story, along with some other tall tales, largely kept people away from cinnamon trees and helped the Arab spice merchants keep their monopoly on the spice trade in general until around the 1500s. For reference, the very first mention of Ceylon Cinnamon comes to us from an encyclopedia written in about 1270 by Zakariya Ibn Muhammad al-Kazwini.

In the early part of the 1500s, Queen Isabella of Spain commissioned several explorers to find sea routes to bring spices back to Spain. Some of these explorers were Christopher Columbus and Gonzalo Pizzaro, both of whom were unable to find cinnamon, as they managed to travel to the New World in the west instead of toward India. However, Columbus in his heart believed he had found India and thus took to calling all the native peoples "Indians," a name that has stuck and survived in the Americas, despite being inaccurate.

It was in the 1510s that Portuguese traders found Ceylon Cinnamon for themselves. They ended up making a deal with the Kingdom of Kotte to import Ceylon Cinnamon to allow the Portuguese to control the Ceylon Cinnamon supply. They retained control for the next 150 years, and then were challenged by a huge competitor in the spice market, the Dutch. One Dutch captain is said to have stated that you could smell cinnamon eight leagues away from the island of Ceylon. The British eventually took over the trade from the Dutch in the 1700s, but by the 1800s, cassia cinnamon was becoming more popular as it was less costly, so the heated demand for Ceylon Cinnamon eventually crumbled.

Today, Ceylon Cinnamon is still a background spice in America, as Americans tend to favor Cassia Cinnamon Sticks.

Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks Cultivation

Ceylon Cinnamon trees require 3 to 5 years from their initial planting to be able to produce a high enough quality bark to be harvested for consumption. After they have reached the desired maturity, the trees can be harvested from twice a year by careful hands during the rainy season. Ceylon Cinnamon is grown almost exclusively in Sri Lanka, whose two rainy seasons per year help produce a tender new growth that makes the bark easier to harvest from the trees. Harvesters are highly skilled workers, as peeling cinnamon bark requires a great understanding of the tree and the bark itself. Harvesting incorrectly can damage the tree or make it unable to produce more bark, essentially killing the crop. Many families in Sri Lanka have thus made it their legacy to train the youngest relatives in cinnamon bark harvest, a skill that is treasured, honored, and by nature somewhat secretive. The price of Ceylon Cinnamon is often dictated by these farming families who determine their crops worth based on how long they've been harvesting. The crops of the more experienced laborers tend to warrant the highest prices because they know their skills are not easily mastered, while younger, more inexperienced farmers can only command a cheaper price.

The highest-grade cinnamon is harvested from the trunk of the cinnamon tree while the branches produce a lower quality cinnamon. The Negombo district is said to grow the best Ceylon Cinnamon in the world. The trees can grow up to 49 feet tall and prefer high humidity. They like a lot of sun but can survive in some shade. These trees can live in temperatures as low as 32°F, though they do better in hotter temperatures.

As previously mentioned, 90% of Ceylon Cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka, but it is also cultivated in Mexico, South America, Madagascar, India, and an island in the east of Africa and the north of Madagascar called Seychelles.

Where is it from?

Our Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks are from Sri Lanka.

Types of Cinnamon

There are several types of cinnamon with two being the most commonly used. Ceylon and Cassia cinnamons are the two you are most likely thinking of when you refer to cinnamon. Ceylon Cinnamon has a sweeter, more delicate flavor, while cassia is stronger and spicier. Cassia is the more common cinnamon type on the American market.

Cooking with Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks

Ceylon Cinnamon is used frequently in English, Central American, Mexican, South American, and South Asian cooking. Throughout Europe and Mexico, Ceylon Cinnamon is the preferred cinnamon while in the United States, we prefer cassia. In English cooking, Ceylon is found in sweeter dishes like fruitcakes, pastries, and stewed fruits. In Sri Lanka, it is a key spice for fiery hot dishes, in biryani, and in the spice blend Garam Masala. In Latin America, it's found in chocolate beverages and in Mexico it can be found in a variety of moles.

Cinnamon has been one of the most popular baking spices in many cultures for hundreds of years. Ceylon Cinnamon has a delicate, yet intense flavor that is ideally suited for breads, cookies, cakes, ice cream, pastries, cottage cheese and we also enjoy it in our morning oatmeal. Cinnamon Sticks are a terrific complement to hot drinks like cider, chai, tea, coffee and cocoa.

Ceylon Cinnamon combines well with other spices such as allspice, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. This cinnamon works best in recipes where there are not a lot of competing flavors, as it is a more delicate, nuanced, and complex flavor. It's favored for ice cream, custard, and pudding recipes. Try it with fruits like pears, apples, blueberries, cherries, and oranges. It goes well with vegetables like carrots, onions, spinach, butternut squash, or parsnips.

Whole vs Ground

Ground cinnamon is paler in color while also being more convenient to use than cinnamon sticks. It will also lose its potent flavor much more quickly than cinnamon sticks too, because once ground the oils that give it flavor are quick to evaporate. Cinnamon lovers will buy their cinnamon in the stick form and use a handy spice grater to get the maximum flavor intensity.

What Do Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks Taste Like?

Ceylon Cinnamon has a deeply complex, subtly sweet flavor reminiscent of citrus and cloves, with a nice warmth.

Substitutions and Conversions

You can substitute Ceylon Cinnamon for Cassia Cinnamon at a 1 to 1 ratio for any recipe, but they aren't the same flavor wise so you may be in for a surprise! Cassia cinnamon is a little more intense than Ceylon and is often described as being the spicier of the two.

Our Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks are sold by weight. You will get approximately four 3" sticks per ounce.

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Our Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks are sold by weight. You will get approximately four 3" sticks per ounce.