Cinnamon has been around for a very long time, it was used by Egyptians in their funeral rites, and it is also named in the Exodus book, as one of the oils to make the temple sacred.

Until the 12th century the origins of cinnamon were not clear. In the ancient classical world, it was surrounded by mythical stories. It was a common belief that harvesting cinnamon was a particular dangerous task: cinnamon fields were protected by monstrous birds and the Arabs had to wear animal skins in order not to be attacked. It was only at the beginning of the 14th century that it was found out that cinnamon comes primarily from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

However, cinnamon was worth the effort, as it turned out to be a versatile substance, as it could be used as a remedy against various illnesses, or to season food, both sweet and salted, and also as a valuable gift.

In the Middle Ages, Arabs were no longer the only ones to sell cinnamon in the Western world. Spice trade gained a huge political and economical role. One of the original goals of Columbus’ journey, that ended up with the discovery of America, was to expand the trade routes to the East.

Venice started to trade cinnamon from the Arabs and became the monopolist for spices in Europe. Their supremacy lasted until the beginning of the 16th century, when the Portuguese conquered Ceylon (old name for Sri Lanka), where most cinnamon could be found. After 100 years the Dutch came and took over Portugal.

Even though the production of cinnamon spread to other areas in the world, 90% of it is still produced in Sri Lanka.

Since the ancient Greeks, the use of cinnamon hasn’t changed much: as a medicine, to enhance flavors, and even to get rid of insects.

Tags : Cooking
Categories : Cooking Tips