The plant Cinnamomum verum is known as Ceylon Cinnamon or
True Cinnamon, the speciality is that this cinnamon plan is only found in Sri
Lanka, it is native to the island. It is
a small evergreen tree that belongs to the family of Lauracease, this consists
of cinnamon from C. verum which is considered by worldwide culinarians to be of
superior quality and standard and that is why many people prefer Ceylon
Cinnamon over other types of cinnamon found in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia
and China.
The Ceylon Cinnamon plant or the Cinnamomum verum is a small
tree that is green – brown in color consisting of leaves and fruits. It is only
about 10 – 15 meters long and it has leaves that are ovate – oblong which on
simple terms mean oval and long in shape. This plant will bear a flower which
gives out a distinct odor and greenish in color, a fruit which is purple and it
contains a single seed which is responsible on how these plants are cultivated.
The bark of Cinnamon plants are mostly used to make the spices of Cinnamon. As
this plant is very rare and only found in the grounds of Sri Lanka, it is given
the name “ Ceylon Cinnamon” derived from the earlier name Ceylon, of the
country.
The special interest that people worldwide show towards
Ceylon Cinnamon has eventually enhanced and improved the commercialization and
trading of the plant from Sri Lanka to the world, the distinctive taste and the
health benefits of cinnamon continues to draw more people towards Ceylon
cinnamon which is why it has become a bulk scale manufacturing and exportation
source for the country. The plants are cultivated on lands on a large scale and
then goes through a process of production to become the spice that everybody
loves.
Cinnamon trees tend to grow as very leafy bushes which are
about 10 feet tall (3 meters) in height when they are cross cultivated for the
purpose of production. The trees are capable to be harvested for the first time
once they are 3 years of age, and they continue to give the sources for production
of spices for a period of over 50 years. A single plant will give multiple
harvests in its life time. Almost all the parts of the Cinnamon tree are taken
use in production. The branches are removed from the tree to access the bark,
and the outer park is taken off and made into a mulch. The twigs, leaves and
seeds known as berries are crushed to make cinnamon oil, a byproduct of
cinnamon. The inner branch which is most valuable is loosened, split and peeled
off to produce spices. The long and full straps of these known as ‘Quills’ of
cinnamon are more valuable than the small broken pieces. The value is marked by
the interest that people show and the worth that they put on the product
initially and the labor that is used in the process of manufacturing. These
Cinnamon Quills are then dried over for several days, in the sun, in the shade
and then in darkness and all the work is done by human labor who are
experienced and specialized in the field. That is one reason why Ceylon
cinnamon is expensive. As the final step of production, the dried Cinnamon bark
is cut into either sticks or grounded into powder and packed to be sold to
consumers.
The health benefits and the taste of Ceylon cinnamon is
preferred by consumers worldwide which has made the production of spices
through cinnamon has become a large scale manufacturing and exportation product
in Sri Lanka that provides a profitable income to the country as well.
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