Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum; Eugenia caryophyllata; Ding Xiang) Whole: 1 lb: V

Cloves are the small, reddish-brown flower buds of the tropical evergreen tree Syzygium aromaticum, believed indigenous to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, of Indonesia. As early as 200 BC, envoys from Java to the Han-dynasty court of China brought cloves that were customarily held in the mouth to perfume the breath during audiences with the emperor. During the late Middle Ages, cloves were used in Europe to preserve, flavor, and garnish food. Cloves, by weight, exceeded the value of precious metal in the early spice trade. Strong of aroma and hot and pungent in taste, cloves are used to flavor meats, rice dishes and baked goods. Cloves are elemental in the traditional cuisines of China, Sri Lanka, North India, the Middle East, and throughout Arabia and North Africa. Europeans use cloves for sweets, stewed fruits, rice, breads and pickles. In Europe and the United States Christmas is celebrated with clove-flavored wassail and mincemeat. Chinese five-spice powder contains cloves, as do many curries, garam masala, Arabic baharat, Moroccan ras el hanout, Tunisian gâlat dagga, Ethiopian berebere, French quatre épices, Mexican molé sauces, and, of course, Worcestershire sauce. Curried Potatoes and Clove Rice: http://www.vegweb.com/food/rice/1502.shtml: 6 sweet potatoes, sliced thinly 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves, minced Indian curry powder Cayenne pepper salt & pepper Vegetable oil Basmanti rice (for 4 people) Clove powder 1 cup Raisins (optional) In a large pot, boil the potatoes until they are almost ready. In a large skillet, heat enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of your pan. Add the garlic and onions and fry them on medium heat until they are soft. Add the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then, add curry powder to taste, usually requires quite a bit, depending on the potency of the curry. Sprinkle with Cayenne, just to add a bit of a bite! Allow to simmer, stirring regluarly until the rice is ready. In another pot, prepare the rice. Once it is complete, sprinkle with clove powder, use sparingly as it is quite strong, and add 1 cup of raisins. Mix well, and serve as a side to the potatoes. N.B. If you dice up some cucumbers and mix them with non-dairy yoghurt, it is a really nice side to take some of the bite off of the spice and to alternate between dishes. Cinnamon-Clove Barbecue Sauce: http://www.recipegoldmine.com/grillsauce/grillsauce63.html: 2 medium onions, sliced 1 C. condensed tomato soup 3/4 C. water 3 T. vinegar 2 T. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. chili powder 1/8 tsp. cloves Combine all ingredients; heat and use to baste meat or fish. Makes 2 cups. Recipe can be varied with an orange juice base, granulated orange peel, sage, honey and cloves. The 1997 Commission E on Phytotherapy and Herbal Substances of the German Federal Institute for Drugs recommends Cloves for 'Inflammatory changes