Cinnamon is the inner bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a small evergreen tree[?] belonging to the family Lauraceae, native to Sri Lanka. The leaves are large, ovate-oblong in shape, and the flowers, which are arranged in panicles, have a greenish colour and a rather disagreeable odour.
Cinnamon has been known from remote antiquity, and it was so highly prized among ancient nations that it was regarded as a present fit for monarchs and other great potentates. It is mentioned in Exodus xxx. 23, where Moses is commanded to use both sweet cinnamon (Kinnamon) and cassia[?], and it is alluded to by Herodotus and by other classical writers. The tree is grown at Tellicherry[?], in Java, the West Indies, Brazil and Egypt, but the produce of none of these places approaches in quality that grown in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka cinnamon of fine quality is a very thin smooth bark, with a light-yellowish brown colour, a highly fragrant odour, and a peculiarly sweet, warm and pleasing aromatic taste. Its flavour is due to an aromatic oil which it contains to the extent of from 0.5 to 1%. This essential oil, as an article of commerce, is prepared by roughly pounding the bark, macerating it in sea-water, and then quickly distilling the whole. It is of a golden-yellow colour, with the peculiar odour of cinnamon and a very hot aromatic taste. It consists essentially of cinnamic aldehyde, and by the absorption of oxygen as it becomes old it darkens in colour and develops resinous compounds.
Cinnamon is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of chocolate and liqueurs. In medicine it acts like other volatile oils and has a reputation as a cure for colds. Being a much more costly spice than cassia, that comparatively harsh-flavoured substance is frequently substituted for or added to it. The two barks when whole are easily enough distinguished, and their microscopical characters are also quite distinct. When powdered bark is treated with tincture of iodine, little effect is visible in the case of pure cinnamon of good quality, but when cassia is present a deep-blue tint is produced, the intensity of the coloration depending on the proportion of the cassia.
Based on an article from 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
(Catalan canyella;
Spanish canela)
Common misspelling and questions (FAQ)
innamon cnnamon cinamon cinamon cinnmon cinnaon cinnamn cinnamo icnnamon cninamon cinnamon cinanmon cinnmaon cinnaomn cinnamno cinnamo ccinnamon ciinnamon cinnnamon cinnnamon cinnaamon cinnammon cinnamoon cinnamonn dinnamon xinnamon finnamon finnamon vinnamon c8nnamon cunnamon cjnnamon c9nnamon cknnamon c9nnamon connamon cknnamon cihnamon cibnamon cijnamon cijnamon cimnamon cinhamon cinbamon cinjamon cinjamon cinmamon cinnqmon cinnwmon cinnzmon cinnwmon cinnsmon cinnzmon cinnajon cinnanon cinnakon cinnakon cinna,on cinnam9n cinnamin cinnamkn cinnam0n cinnamln cinnam0n cinnampn cinnamln cinnamoh cinnamob cinnamoj cinnamoj cinnamom cynnamon cinnamonsWherein thou wast distressed; I never knew the day As best beseemed the daughter of a king. How comes it, then, that he preserved thy life? AMADINE. Further than our accustomed manner was, A monstrous ugly bear doth hie him fast I refer it to the credit of Segasto. SEGASTO. How then? AMADINE. Made forward to us with an open mouth, The sight whereof did make us both to dread, Who, for I saw no succour incident And he most cowardlike began to fly-- How say you, Segasto, is it not true? KING. Then I amazed, distressed, all alone, But all in vain, for, why, he reached after me, Till at the length this shepherd came, Come hither boy: lo, here it is, The slaughter of this bear deserves great fame. SEGASTO. Indeed occasion oftentimes so falls out. Tremelio in the wars, O King, preserved thee. AMADINE. Tremelio fought when many men did yield. AMADINE. So would my master, had he not run away. SEGASTO. The shepherd's force would have saved thousands more. MOUSE. Segasto, cease to accuse the shepherd, All we are bound to do the shepherd good: So shall my sentence stand, for thou shalt die. SEGASTO. But soft, Segasto, not for this offence.-- .