Find of the Day: Giant Cinnamon Sticks
August 4th, 2012 | Blog, Community, Vancouver, BC, cinnamon sticks, spice, sweet smelling cinnamon, uses for cinnamon
“What would he not do for her, the daughter of the spice-seller; she who smelt of cloves and cinnamon, whose laughter had the timbre of ankle-bells, whose eyebrows were like black wisps of the night and whose hair was the night itself? For her he would cross the salt desert!”
-Daruwalla
My new obsession – giant cinnamon sticks! I had an errand to run in Chinatown a few days ago and instead of walking straight home I decided to meander through the streets. It was quite a systematic meander because I was looking for glass jars for my hot sauce. Up and down each street, looking in every kitchen shop I could find. As I passed one of the many apothecary shops, baskets of dried mushrooms and scallops and almonds spilling out onto the sidewalk, I saw what looked like giant cinnamon sticks. I couldn’t help but peer closer, sniffing the giant roll of bark to see if my eyes were correct. With all the competing scents I couldn’t make out much and yelled into the shop for help. They told me that indeed it was cinnamon and I knew I had to have it.
My giant cinnamon sticks are so thick that I can just wrap my hand around the middle, and they are several feet long Once I got them home I was able to make out the most delicious, deep cinnamon scent, much darker than a jar of cinnamon powder. I am completely in love and went back to pick up several more a few days later.
What will I use these giant cinnamon sticks/logs for? I’m not entirely sure.
Here are a few thoughts:
- Drawer fresheners to keep my clothes smelling sweet
- Room fresheners – I might tuck logs of cinnamon here and there
- Decorative elements – right now I have a cement block with Russian dolls gathered around it. I have now replaced the block with a few cinnamon logs, very spice road meets Russia and it fits my aesthetic perfectly.
- Clothing bars – this idea might take a little work but the logs are the perfect size for clothes hangers
What would you do with several giant pieces of cinnamon?
—-
Shonagh explores the guts of food in An Offal Experiment