SC - SPICES

[Rayne/Richard]

> In a message dated 8/30/99 9:52:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> Seton1355 at aol.com writes:
>
> << What is canel flour?>>
>
> Ground cinnamon

The original phrase quoted, as I recall, was "flower of canel".  I agree
that canel is cinnamon.  However, though "flower" might be a homonym
for "flour", it could also mean "flower" in the sense of the finest or best;
ex., "the flower of chivalry".  Of course, if the latter meaning is
intended,
that still does not preclude it from being the finest *ground* cinnamon.

Brighid

Actually, it is neither. "Flower of canel" is cassia buds -- the 'flower'
bud of the cassia/cinnamon tree (similar in appearance to cloves). The idea
that for some reason canel/cassia/cinnamon ground up was referred to as
"flour/flower", when all other spices ground up were powders, is something
perpetrated by early translators of cookery books, who were not very
familiar with spices, and didn't know that cassia buds were a popular spice
in period Europe.

Francesco Sirene

P.S. If you want to try cassia buds, we can supply them.
David Dendy / ddendy at silk.net
partner in Francesco Sirene, Spicer / sirene at silk.net
Visit our Website at http://www.silk.net/sirene/

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