Pungent warm spice

Cloves are a pungent spice found in savory dishes, desserts, and drinks. Ground or whole cloves flavor meat, sauces, and rice dishes. Cloves are often used along with cinnamon and nutmeg in sweet dishes, especially "pumpkin pie" flavored items for the autumn and winter holidays, and in drinks such as mulled wine, cider, or chai.

 

Cloves are a pungent warm spice with an intense flavor and aroma. The flavor comes from the compound eugenol. On the tongue, you'll detect sweetness, bitterness, and astringency (drying the mouth), with a noticeable amount of heat. Similar warm spices include nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. These are often combined in a pumpkin pie blend. Cloves are much more powerful than these more-tepid flavor cousins and therefore less is used in a recipe or blend. Some people find the flavor of cloves overwhelming and choose to leave this spice out entirely.

 

Macro Mondays

Sweet or Savoury

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