Did you know cinnamon is actually the bark of tree? 

Ceylon Cinnamon and Sri Lanka's affinity is so strong that the very botanical name of the spice - Cinnamomum Zeylanicum is derived from the island's former name, Ceylon. We ship worldwide.

Ceylon Cinnamon groves in Sri Lanka lie exclusively in its western and southwestern regions, north and south of the country's commercial capital, Colombo. The tropical sunshine and abundant rain in these areas provide an ideal habitat, but even here the quality of the spice varies with soil conditions. The sweetest, most prized variety grows in the "silver sand" coastal belt of the Negombo district, just north of Colombo. A laurel which in its wild state grows up to 20 meters high, the cinnamon tree is pruned down hard two years after a seedling is planted out. This produces "tillering" - a profuse, bushy growth of bark-yielding twigs whose five-nerved, shiny, fragrant leaves (like all laurels) sing melodiously in the wind. At blossom time the small, creamy-white flowers attract swarms of birds and bees, which find their spicy fragrance irresistible.

Ceylon Cinnamon Oil owes its distinctive, spicy fragrance to a volatile oil that it contains. Cinnamon oil is distilled in copper stills from off-grade bark, leaves and roots. The distilleries are always located close to Farms, have a very pleasant effect on the surroundings and scenting the air with a sweet and spicy perfume.

RECIPES #3

Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• maple syrup or peanut butter, for serving
• 
  
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 10 minutes
• Servings: 6
• 
  
• Method:
• 
  
• Whisk together sugar, vanilla and butter in a large bowl.
• Add raisins, oatmeal and milk and eggs, whisk well and set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. If batter is too thick, add a little more milk.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium heat and add batter in small batches, about 1/4 cup each. If batter is thick, you may need to press down on each with the back with a spoon to flatten.
• Cook until golden brown on the bottom and bubbly on top, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Serve hot with maple syrup or peanut butter.
• Source: http://www.foodrepublic.comDisclaimer - All recipes featured here are a compilation from online cookery websites

RECIPES #2

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups finely chopped tart apples

Total Time: 40 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix together.
• Add all remaining ingredients and stir until flour mixture is moistened.
• Spoon batter into 2 greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin pans.
• Bake at 375 for 19-23 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for about 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Source: http://www.food.com

Disclaimer - All recipes featured here are a compilation from online cookery websites

RECIPES #1

Cinnamon Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup oil

Total Time: 40 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins

Directions:

• Sift together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• Combine egg, oil, and milk, add to dry ingredients. Stir just enough to moisten.
• Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.
• Bake at 400.
• Use powder sugar and milk for frosting (it will make them taste like a cinnamon roll).

Source: http://www.food.com

Disclaimer - All recipes featured here are a compilation from online cookery websites

Huge Health Benefits of Ceylon Cinnamon vs Cassia Cinnamon

Your weekly trip to the market consists of shopping for your groceries, your dairy and your spices. You choose the better vegetable, the fresher meat, so why not the put this thought behind the cinnamon that you buy? Yes, you read it right, cinnamon has its varieties too and we don’t mean better quality between companies. We mean a whole different variety that comes all the way from Sri Lanka—Ceylon cinnamon, which is scientifically considered to be the only true cinnamon.

The cinnamon that commonly sold in the United States, United Kingdom  is Cassia cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon is a close relative of Ceylon cinnamon and for both the dried bark is used as the flavouring spice. Cassia cinnamon is however, less delicate than Ceylon cinnamon because of the harshness of its bark. Ceylon cinnamon being made only from the inner bark is more delicate, easy to crush and does not have the rough texture of Cassia cinnamon.

Cassia cinnamon is specified in many curry recipes, where Ceylon cinnamon is less suitable. But for delicate dishes that require mild flavoring like confectionery, desserts and pastries, Ceylon cinnamon is better suited. Just remember how careful we have to be with the amount of cinnamon we put in these recipe; and when we over-spice it, good lord!

Besides being rich in minerals like magnesium, fiber, calcium, iron, chromium, and manganese, cinnamon is a great source of energy. Did we mention that it helps regulate blood sugar, aid in digestive health, keep your bones healthy and keep your nerves steady too? Ceylon cinnamon being the purest form of cinnamon that there is, does all of the facts mentioned above without any side effects as such, as opposed to Cassia, which when taken in high doses or regularly leaves behind toxins in the body. The main toxin is Coumarin, which can damage the liver, European health agencies had banned the use of Cassia Cinnamon for some time. Is Ceylon cinnamon Coumarin free? No, but Ceylon cinnamon has only 0.04%, which is almost negligible and doesn’t affect the body even when taken daily or in high doses, while Cassia has 5%. Other possible toxins founds in the bark/powder of Cassia are cinnamaldehyde (which is a skin irritant) and styrene (which is regarded as “hazardous chemical”).

Ceylon Cinnamon has two additional properties that no other variety of cinnamon has- it is a natural preservative. So you are not just adding a beautiful flavor to your food, but also expanding its life along the way. Secondly, it is grown without any pesticides making it absolutely natural and organic! So why won’t you switch to Ceylon Cinnamon? We surely don’t need to tell you how pesticides can harm the body, internals and the brain.

So how will you distinguish your Ceylon from your Cassia? The colour and texture of Ceylon cinnamon is lighter, almost golden brown and smoother. Cassia cinnamon is thicker as it has the outer bark; therefore they curl into a roll while drying. Ceylon cinnamon being natural is tender, and is made only from the inner bark. This is why they curl from one side while drying and have bristles formed which cause the cinnamon stick to slightly crack at places. Ceylon cinnamon is softer and can be chewed raw easily. The aroma is lighter and pleasant to senses while being much deeper.

So is there no flaw with the seemingly perfect Ceylon cinnamon? Well, if we have to hunt for a drawback, it would be that Ceylon cinnamon costs more than Cassia cinnamon. But hey! You get what you pay for. Plus when you take into consideration the taste and the aroma and most importantly the health benefits, the cost hardly seems to make any difference.

So switch to Ceylon cinnamon that is healthier, fresher and more flavorful than the Cassia you thought was perfect! You have to try it to believe it!

Process of harvesting and manufacturing of Ceylon Cinnamon

Cinnamon Cultivation

Planting Process

1. Ceylon Cinnamon Seeds are planted in mobile nurseries and raised for 1 year with no chemicals

2. After a year, the small plants are placed in the ground and raised for about 3 years. Compost is used for fertilizer and applied on a weekly basis to maintain the plants and the land.

3. When the bark of the Ceylon Cinnamon tree starts to look brownish, we cut the tree down to 1 inch from the soil. Once tree is cut, the remaining 1 inch will soon start to create new branches for the next harvest.

Manufacturing Process

1. The cut branches of the tree are immediately taken to the factory.

2. The first team pounds the tree to loosen the bark from the inner layer.

3. Second team uses a white iron knife to remove the bark nicely from the tree.

4. Once the bark is removed, chips are then inserted into the rolled bark to make a stick

5. Then the sticks are dried in open air at a temperature of 30 - 34 C (86 - 93 F).

6. Sticks are then graded according to the appearance. For powder, sticks are ground in our grinding mills