Holiday spices from tropical plants  -A A +A  By Jeneen Wiche
Spices fuel exploration True cinnamon comes from the bark of
Cinnamomum zeylanicum, an evergreen tree native to Southwest
India. This is the premium spice that is harvested just as new
growth emerges from 2-year old stems. It has a light brown color
and the interior of the quills (the curled strips) consist of
several layers. Common cinnamon is harvested from Cinnamomum
cassia, has a darker color, stronger flavor and more reasonable
price! Cloves come from the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. These
so called “Spice Islands” were once the only source of nutmeg
and mace, as well. Cloves are the dried, unopened flowers of the
tree Syzygium aromaticum. Nutmeg and mace come from the fruit of
Myristica fragrans: the seed of the fruit is ground for nutmeg
and the leathery, lacy seed covering is ground to produce mace. 
All these spices promote healthy digestion and have anti-
bacterial and anti-fungal properties, among other things.  It’s
flavor that packs a