cloves

what is it?

Born of an evergreen tree, cloves are indigenous to Indonesia but are also cultivated in Malaysia, India, and Madagascar. Its warm, spicy flavor is an integral element to gingerbread, pumpkin pie spice, and Jamaican jerk seasoning.

Cloves are sold both whole and ground; as with most spices, buying the whole version and grinding it yourself will give you the most intense flavor.

how to choose:

Look for whole cloves that have intact "heads," which indicates higher quality.