Well, here I am again, so Christmas must be heading down the highway towards us. Actually, as I sit writing this, it’s one of those grey, threatening-to-rain late fall days, the kind you’re really glad to be indoors in. And it got me to thinking about all kinds of lovely warming winter stuff, especially cinnamon, that quintessential of all the winter spices.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR  

As I might have known, there’s more to cinnamon than simply buns and apple pie. First thing, there’s not just “cinnamon.” There’s a whole genus of Cinnamomum stuff which is a relative of the magnolias. They are all aromatic trees and shrubs that originate in southeast Asia and Australia. Of the kind most of us are familiar with, C. verum is “true cinnamon” and the best comes from Sri Lanka, C. aromaticum , “aromatic cinnamon,” is sometimes called chinese cinnamon), and C. camphora is camphor. There is also Canella winterana, or white cinnamon, that sounds fascinating, but I couldn’t find anything else about it except that it is a large evergreen shrub with white bark, leathery leaves and small purple to red flowers.

Camphor smells lousy and is iffy when it comes to safety -- the fumes are toxic, don’t use it long term, keep is away from kids, do not ingest, and so on -- so I think we’ll just leave that one alone even.

Of the main cinnamons that we have here in North America, although they smell a little different (true cinnamon is a bit softer and sweeter and aromatic cinnamon has a smell closer to cloves), the active ingredients are the same. The ground cinnamon you buy in stores is most often a blend of the two, because smelly cinnamon is quite a bit cheaper than true cinnamon. Cinnamon sticks, on the other hand, are the bark of true cinnamon trees.

Even the way cinnamon is used in food varies. We in our western world tend to think of cinnamon as a “sweet” spice, to be used in desserts: gingerbread, pies, buns, and the like. However, in different parts of the world and even in “English” cooking long ago, cinnamon is at least as likely to be found in hearty savoury meat or bean dishes.

Every New Year’s Day, I make up a pot of Turkish lentil soup that is full of lentils of course, but also tomatoes and spinach, and cinnamon. We serve it to guests on that day so that everyone will have “peas and plenty” for the coming year -- a nice old tradition where I come from. And check out Berbere, and the medieval spice-herb blends I have on offer in “Simple Luxuries in the Kitchen” later on in this newsletter.

However, before we get there, it turns out that cinnamon also has therapeutic or medicinal uses. For instance, it contains certain phytochemicals that ease allergies, reduce pain, and help relax muscle spasms. These together make it specially useful for relieving tummy troubles -- nicer than Pepto Bismol, too.

Cinnamon also counteracts bacteria and fungi (including candidas), so it can be used as a disinfectant, and to fight winter nasties, like flu, colds and bronchitis. Sprinkle a little in your coffee (guilt free cappuccino? well, nearly), or use a cinnamon stick to stir your tea (or hot toddy??).

A very interesting article in New Scientist (17:52, 24 Nov. 03) says that “just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics. The effect. . . could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problems but are unaware of it.” Apparently, cinnamon works by behaving like insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes (decreased sensitivity to insulin) end up with lower blood sugar, fats and “bad” cholesterol by including cinnamon in their diet. You have to use the whole spice, though, as the oil doesn’t have the same effect.

Aromatherapists use cinnamon for colds, flu, and headaches, because it is antiseptic and cleansing. They say that it is good for relieving stress, anxiety and tension, and that it diffuses hostile energy, especially when combined with citrus). Wow, think of Golden Spice’s possibilities!

WARNING TO TAKE SERIOUSLY: NEVER EVER use undiluted cinnamon oil directly on your skin. It is much too strong!!
Even in a bath, use it very sparingly. Don’t eat it either -- same reason!

This one is my favourite: “some research” (don’t ask) finds that most men really love cinnamon. The “research” apparently was not able to uncover why this might be, but you know, there’s cinnamon in my Christmas Hippocras, which really is an authentic medieval aphrodisiac recipe. Might be a connection there, don’t you think? And if you’re not convinced, read Michael Ondaatje’s The Cinnamon Peeler, a most sensuous poem.

And here’s a priceless puzzler: on eBay you can buy new or used Cinnamon -- no kidding! Would you use cinnamon that someone else had already used?

Out of the kitchen and back into the bathroom, I’ve been trying out some fabulous soap moulds I ran across a little while ago. They’re a copy of the Venus of Willendorf, a small stone sculpture found at a prehistoric site in Germany. Actually, little figures like this have been found all over northern Europe, but this one happens to be especially fine.

There has been lots of speculation as to what they are all about, but they do definitely come from the “goddess” time which is enough for me. I’ve called my “goddesses” Working Girls, and they come in the floral scents of Oldfashioned Rose, Geranium & Orange, Just Lavender, Lavender & Lemon, Victoria and also Milk & Honey because of its lovely soft brown colour.