ground cloves

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Cloves are the flower buds of the clove tree. They are picked and dried just before they bloom. During drying, the red flower buds turn the typical brown color of cloves. Cloves have a burning, fiery flavor and are very aromatic, especially ground cloves, which must be used very sparingly. The characteristic clove aroma only develops when heated.

USE
Cloves are used in every country and cuisine around the world. They are also an essential ingredient in spiced marinades for meat, game, and savory marinades for fish, such as pickled herring. Ground cloves, or clove powder, are used in mulled wine, almost every Christmas cookie (like speculoos and gingerbread), and spiced cookies. Clove powder flavors meat and fish steaks, game stews and other meat stews, blood sausage, bratwurst, and dark sauces.

GOOD TO KNOW
Whole cloves are cooked or steeped in sauerkraut, fish broth, roasted game, sauerbraten, roast rabbit, and large roast pork. The clove flavor is indispensable in sweet fruit soups, compotes, plum jam, and apple puree.

TASTE
Cloves are the flower buds of the clove tree. They are picked and dried just before they bloom. During drying, the red flower buds turn the typical brown color of cloves. Cloves have a burning, fiery flavor and are very aromatic, especially ground cloves, which must be used very sparingly. The characteristic clove aroma only develops when heated.

PRODUCTION
Today, almost all clove exporters are located in Madagascar and Zanzibar. Other growing areas still include the Spice Islands and the island of Pemba off the coast of East Africa.