Cloves

Clove is a powerful, warmly aromatic spice with a sweetly spiced and slightly peppery note. It is used sparingly to give dishes depth and warmth, from stewed pears and spiced biscuits to stock, marinades and rich stews.

Latin name: Syzygium aromaticum
Origin: the Moluccas (Indonesia)
Plant family: Myrtaceae (myrtle family)
Height: up to around 10–20 m
Flowering period: depends on the climate, often during the tropical seasons
Lifespan: perennial (woody tree)

Description

Cloves are the dried, still closed flower buds of the clove tree. They are easy to recognise by their dark, nail-like shape: a stem with a rounded bud on top. Because of their high content of fragrant oils, cloves are intense in both flavour and aroma. Their perfume is warm and sweet, with a spiced sharpness that calls to mind winter spices.

In the kitchen

Cloves are often used whole, so that their flavour can gently infuse a dish and the cloves can later be removed. This works well in stewed pears, compotes, mulled wine, chai, stocks and pickled vegetables. Ground clove is practical for baking recipes and spice blends, but use it with extra care: it can quickly become overpowering.

The spice combines beautifully with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, bay leaf and orange peel. In savoury dishes, clove works well with beef and lamb stews, tomato-based sauces and pulses. A classic trick is to stud an onion with cloves and let it infuse in stock, béchamel or braising liquid for a subtle, rounded spiced note.

Storage & quality

Store cloves in an airtight container in a dark, dry place. Whole cloves generally keep their aroma longer than ground clove. Fresh cloves smell strong and warm; if they give off hardly any aroma, they are often already too old. You can crush a clove lightly between your fingers: if it releases a clear aroma straight away, the quality is usually good.