[Sca-cooks] Cassia vs. "True" Cinnamon (was Cinnamon question)

[Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise]

> It is my understanding from a conversation long ago with a representative from Frontier Herb Co. that true cinnamon (cinnamomum zerylanicum: true cinnamon, soft cinnamon,or  ceylon cinnamon-- from the flacky sticks packaged for Mexican markets) is not available commerically ground.   Ground cinnamon is is generally cinnamomum cassia (cassia, the really hard sticks from craft stores & other places).  There is also a Vietamese cinnamon (cinnamomum loureirri) which is sold ground, but I have no personal experience with it.

I get my Ceylon Cinnamon and Vietnamese Cassia from Penzey's Spices, 
preground.

Vietnamese Cassia is probably the highest grade/type of cassia I've 
worked with. It's sweeter and more pungent than regular Cassia.

Ceylon Cinnamon is sweeter but less pungent. I like it a good deal, but 
find that too much of it gives a woody taste to a dish, even when I 
grind it myself. Has anyone else experienced this?

-- 
-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net 
"Information wants to be a Socialist... not a Communist or a 
Republican." - Karen Schneider