[Sca-cooks] Whole to ground spice equivalents

[Randy Goldberg MD]

> > > ISTR learning (from Alton Brown, I think) that cinnamon is one of
the
> > > few spices best bought powdered, as it is nearly impossible to
grind the
> > > bark adequately at home. I could be mistaken, of course, but I'm
sure I
> > > heard that someplace.
>
> Hmmm...(maire runs back to the kitchen and snags a bit of cinnamon
> stick). I just ground up a 2" cinnamon stick in it (had to mash the
> stick a bit first to "chip" it) in a minute or so, and it worked just
> fine.  Produced just about 1.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon for the
> whole 2" stick.  The smell is much nicer than my already ground
> cinnamon--reminds me very much of the subtle difference between
> pre-ground and fresh-ground nutmeg.

I have refreshed my memory. It's not that you CAN'T grind cinnamon at
home. It's that they use lower quality stuff, bark from lower down on
the tree, to make cinnamon sticks. The better quality bark is powdered
before you buy it. Similarly with ginger - the best quality stuff is
powdered at the time of harvest, but that's because the best quality
ginger doesn't travel well.

Avraham

****************************************
Avraham haRofeh of Northpass
     (mka Randy Goldberg MD)