History of Cassia Cinnamon Sticks

Cassia is what you are most likely to find in the United States at grocery stores who tout a large, expansive display of spices under their fluorescent bulbs. This is because cassia has been marketed as cinnamon for so long in the American market, that many Americans aren’t even aware Ceylon cinnamon exists! Cassia is also the cheaper form of cinnamon, making it a sounder financial investment for commercial spice traders in the United States.

Cassia cinnamon is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, among the ranks with safflower and Devil’s trumpet. It was used to treat diarrhea and help with poor circulation and depression. The name for Cassia cinnamon likely comes from the Greek word “kasia,” which is itself likely a loan word from Semitic traders of ancient Egypt. The exact origins are not confirmed, nor is the original birthplace of cassia cinnamon. Many food historians tend to agree that it is likely indigenous to China however.

While there are many types of cinnamon, there are mainly two used in food preparation today, and these are Cassia and Ceylon. From the 8th century BCE to the 5th century ACE, four types of cinnamon were common. The four most common types in this period, also known as classical antiquity, were Ceylon, Cinnamomum iners which was a Cassia from Arabia and Ethiopia, Cinnamomum malabathrum which was a Cassia from Northern India, and Cinnamomum aromaticum which was a cassia from China. Southeast Asian and Chinese cassia cinnamon were both well known in the Far East in ancient times. Cinnamon is mentioned in the oldest long poem in Chinese literature, the Li Sao or Lament, written in the 4th century BC by the Chinese poet and minister Qu Yuan who lived from 340 BCE to 278 BCE. For ancient peoples, cinnamon was helpful in food preservation, particularly meat preservation, as it has some antibacterial properties and also helped to mask the scent of spoilage as the meat did eventually go bad.

During the European Middle Ages, sources of cinnamon were shrouded in mystery to Europeans. Venetian traders from Italy had a monopoly on the European spice trade, and they received their spices almost exclusively from Arab traders in Alexandria, Egypt. Secret trade routes existed into Egypt, though they were ultimately interrupted by the rise of Mediterranean powers like the Mamluks Sultans in the 13th century through the 16th century, or the Ottoman empire that came into power just at the end of the 13th century, in 1299. These disruptions led to spice shortages and rapid price increases that eventually inspired the Spanish and Portuguese to look for other sources of spices, mainly through sea travel to Asia.

In the Victorian Era, there was a method of communication done entirely through plants! This was called “Victorian Flower Language” or “Floriography.” When presented with a bouquet, the way it was handed off, the style of ribbon that was tied around the arrangement, and the contents of the arrangement itself all held different meanings. Cinnamon meant “my fortune is yours” if it was presented in a floral arrangement. Flower messages were supposed to be secretive and worked similarly to how we use emojis today- they implied a message that was understood relatively easily and through context. Unfortunately, this language died out just after WWI. Today we do however have some remnants of floriography, as we still consider roses a declaration of love or carnations a declaration of friendship or a pure, childlike love! Cinnamon has lost its definition in this capacity though.

Cassia Cinnamon Sticks Cultivation

Mature trees can grow up to 60 feet tall, though commercially, trees are usually scaled back once they reach two years of age, well before they are that height, in a practice called “coppicing.” A coppiced tree will spread out and become bushy, creating more high-quality bark for harvesting. The highest quality bark is that which is in the trunk of the tree while the lower quality bark forms in the branches. The outer bark of the tree is harvested and cut into squares that are allowed to dry and curl into themselves, forming lovely quills. Cassia bark is much darker than “true cinnamon.” Cassia trees also produce cassia buds, which are harvested just before they bloom. While they do taste like cassia cinnamon bark, they also have hints of allspice and pepper to them.

Where is it from?

Our Cassia Cinnamon Sticks come from Indonesia.

What’s the Difference Between Cassia and Ceylon Cinnamon?

Physically, the two are quite different! Cassia cinnamon has a tough, thick bark and its quills are quite hard. Ceylon cinnamon is much more delicate and softer, with a thin bark that breaks up easily. Cassia cinnamon tastes more intense, yet less complex than Ceylon cinnamon, which is a complex spice better suited for dishes with less intense flavors to compete with. Cassia will stand up against tougher flavors and still be distinguishable. Unlike Ceylon cinnamon, cassia is harvested from the outer bark! Ceylon cinnamon is harvested from the inner bark.

Cooking with Cassia Cinnamon Sticks

Cassia has an intense flavor that is well-suited for the flavorful and spice heavy dishes in Indian cuisine. In the United States, cassia has always been marketed as simply “cinnamon” so it’s what you should reach for if you are referencing an American recipe, unless the recipe explicitly calls for “true cinnamon” or “Ceylon” by name.

For a delicious kid friendly dessert or snack, get your favorite apples out and slice evenly, laying them out on a plate. We love using Granny Smith apples for this snack, but any apple will do! Sprinkle with some turbinado sugar and a pinch or two of cinnamon! Garnish with a lovely cinnamon stick. Alternately, you can use a cinnamon stick to stir your favorite apple sauce, whether it be store bought or homemade. Cinnamon sticks can be used in making mulled ciders or in other specialty drinks, like spiced wines. Cassia is perfect for cinnamon rolls, both for the taste and the aromatics. The sweetness of the icing on the top of the roll is cut through divinely by the sharp, pleasant scent of cassia. When combined with other spices, Cassia works well with ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, mace, and turmeric.

Can I Reuse My Cinnamon Sticks?

The flavor in cinnamon sticks comes from their oils, so you can in theory reuse your cinnamon sticks over and over until their flavor is gone. Simply rinse them clean and let them dry before putting them back into storage for their next use. Keep in mind that the flavor of your cinnamon stick will fade much faster depending on where you are using it. You may steep it in your hot tea for a few minutes two times and it will taste about the same both times, but if you add your cinnamon stick to a stew to soak for a few hours, you may not be able to get much more flavor from it the next time you cook with it. Taste as you’re cooking!

Whole Cassia Sticks vs Ground Cassia Sticks

Ground cinnamon tends to be paler in color than the whole sticks it came from. It will lose its flavor much more quickly than cinnamon sticks will. If you are buying cinnamon sticks, you can use them whole in your cooking or you can grate them with a spice grater, but the very fine powdered cinnamon you would typically use in baking will be difficult to achieve in an at home setting, as cassia cinnamon sticks are quite hard, unlike their cousin the Ceylon cinnamon stick, which is very soft and easy to crush into a fine powder.

How Many Cinnamon Sticks Will I Get?

As we sell our cinnamon sticks by weight and not by count, you will receive approximately seven 2-3/4” cinnamon sticks per ounce, depending on how large the sticks are.

What Does Cassia Cinnamon Taste Like?

Cassia Cinnamon is sweet and intensely warm, with a pungency that is easily recognizable.

Substitutions and Conversions for Cinnamon

You can substitute any form of cinnamon for the other. If you replace Cassia with Ceylon, remember that Ceylon has a more delicate flavor and you may need to use more. In a pinch, you can replace cassia with nutmeg, though the flavor won’t be entirely the same.

Read More

5 Reasons to Have Cinnamon Sticks on Hand
Holiday Spice Guide
Spice Routes: Cassia Cinnamon