4 oz - Organic - Hawaii

Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of a Cinnamomum tree. The bark is usually harvested when the branches are 2-3 years old. The cinnamon bark is processed by scraping off the outer bark, then beating the branch evenly with a hammer to loosen the inner bark. Once processed, the bark will dry completely in four to six hours, provided that it is in a well-ventilated and relatively warm environment.

The thin inner bark of Ceylon Cinnamon has a finer, less dense, has more crumbly texture than the popular Cassia - or Saigon Cinnamon. It is also considered to have a more mellow flavor and a paler brown color. Due to the presence of a moderately toxic component called coumarin, health agencies have recently warned against consuming large amounts of cassia. Coumarin is known to cause liver and kidney damage in high concentrations. Ceylon cinnamon has negligible amounts of coumarin.

About the Producer
This ceylon cinnamon is grown on a certified organic farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. Cinnamon was one their first commercial spice crops.

They lets his trees grow 4-5 years before harvesting (Most trees are harvest after 2-3 years). Not only does waiting increase their yield, but they feel that the cinnamon then has a stronger flavor and has a little more kick to it. It also means the bark is thicker and a little harder to grind. They use a food processor to do the grinding. We have used a microplaner with great results. There is nothing quite like the taste of freshly ground cinnamon!

In our final clue, the man who looks for the medicinal qualities in food, describes some of the elements that he gets from the leaves of this tree. He is a very interesting man.