Cinnamon is an aromatic spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices due to its warm sweetness, the year-round favorite in the spice rack that improves everything it touches. Cinnamon is used in desserts, coffees, teas, and is the primary ingredient in pumpkin pie spice.
Cinnamon seems as American as apple pie– which, by the way, would be nothing without cinnamon–but cinnamon actually originated in Asia. In fact, cinnamon and black pepper were the main reasons the Spice Route was developed in 3000 B.C. Ceylon cinnamon, native to Sri Lanka, is considered to be the “true cinnamon” (Cinnamomum verum). Today, most of the cinnamon sold in the U.S. is “common cinnamon” known as Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia).
