What is Cassia?

Most commercial ground cinnamon is Cassia or a combination of cinnamon and cassia, which may surprise you. Most countries, including the United States, have no restrictions on this practice. it is not the same as cinnamon; it is a completely different spice, though they are related.

They are both derived from the bark of a laurel tree. The bark of the tree is harvested, dried, and fermented before the outer layer is removed to make cinnamon. The inner bark curls into thin strips or quills as it dries.

They are both derived from the bark of a laurel tree. It is botanically known as Cinnamomum aromaticum or Cinnamomum cassia. It is harvested in the same manner as cinnamon, but it has a stronger flavor. The true cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, a native of Ceylon (formerly Sri Lanka), has been used for centuries around the world as a flavoring, embalming agent, preservative, and for its medicinal properties.

Cassia in Recipes

Cassia is typically used in savory dishes rather than sweet baked goods, whereas cinnamon is best used in sweet baked goods. In the East, dried cassia buds that resemble cloves are used in pickles, curries, candies, and spicy meat dishes.

Tiny Yellow Cassia flowers have a mild cinnamon flavor and are sold preserved in a sweetened brine for perfuming sweets, fruits, teas, and wines. Its leaves can be used as a flavoring in the same way that bay leaves can.

Difference Between Cinnamon and Cassia

Real cinnamon sticks or quills curl in a telescopic form, in a perfect circle. But, cassia sticks curl inward from both sides, appearing like a scroll. Small pieces of the quills of either cinnamon or cassia are called quillings. When ground, it is hard to distinguish between the two.

But the difference is in the color and smell of each of the spices. Cinnamon is warmer in tone and tan in color with a sweet flavor. Cassia is more of a reddish brown in color and has a more coarse texture, with a stronger, yet more bitter flavor.

Where to Buy Pure Cassia.