cinnamon v. cassia
Sunday, November 15, 2009 Cinnamon is a spice made from the dried bark of shoots from coppiced evergreen trees native to Sri Lanka, India, and parts of Asia. There are two types of cinnamon commonly used in cooking. Ceylon cinnamon (aka ‘true cinnamon’, Cinnamomum zeylanicum) is what most of the world’s cultures mean by cinnamon. What Americans call cinnamon is actually cassia (C. aromaticum).
Ceylon cinnamon is a light tan color and has a mild, complex flavor, whereas cassia is reddish-brown and has a bold, spicy flavor. True cinnamon is made from the inner bark of the shoot, but cassia is prepared from the whole bark. As a result, true cinnamon sticks form thin, brittle rolls and cassia sticks take on a thicker double-scroll shape. Cassia is better for use in savory dishes; Ceylon cinnamon works well in sweet dishes.