Cloves 101: All You Need to Know About a Favorite Spice

This is the first post in what will be a series of posts describing what you need to know about a particular spice. Today, we explore Cloves.

The Clove is a staple in the advanced cook’s repertoire. It’s one of the four spices in the classic French blend “Quatre Epices” (ground Pepper, Ginger and Nutmeg are the other three). In Asian cuisine, Cloves are one of the five essentials in Five Spice (Cloves, Ginger, Cinnamon, Star Anise and Szechuan Peppercorns). I figure if both East and West use the spice it’s probably pretty good.

Plus, I have personal memories that will forever make me a fan. While in Macau my good friends Mr. and Mrs. Hu treated me to “Twice Fried Chicken”. This recipe features Five Spice and is memorable in my lexicon of spice knowledge.

Clove also adds an analgesic effect to the palate – thus numbing your taste buds. This can add depth of flavor to your dishes.

Generally speaking, Cloves pair well with

• Allspice
• Cardamom
• Cassia
• Cinnamon
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Curry
• Ginger
• Mace
• Nutmeg
• Star Anise
• Tamarind
• Turmeric
• Vanilla

The Clove spice is harvested from an evergreen tree flower, which is less pungent in its fresh form. It originated in the North Moluccas, Indonesia, where today it is most commonly used to make cigarettes. In addition to Indonesia, Cloves are also grown in Madagascar, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, West Indies, and India. In fact, this map will show some of the popular Clove growing grounds in India (cool find, huh?).

Tips for Cooking with Cloves

• One sniff and you’ll identify how strong Cloves can be. Do not overpower any dish by adding too much. Always start off small and work your way up to find the right flavor.
• You can buy Cloves in whole or ground form. I almost always prefer whole spice that I can ground in a mortar and pestle right before cooking.
• Cloves contain a high percentage of volatile oils. For this reason, the spice must be stored in cool temperatures. Try storing Cloves in your refrigerator to keep it fresher longer.
• Cloves are used whole in Pomades and are very traditional in cured and baked ham.
• Historically, Cloves are used to improve the flavor of game including venison. Try it. You’ll like it.
• I use Cloves whole in my mulling spice for either wine or apple cider. They are a holiday tradition at our house. You can’t go Christmas Caroling in the snow in our Colorado neighborhood without some of Ziegler’s Mulled Cider.

How do you use Cloves in your kitchen?