CINNAMON: A SHORT HISTORY

Cinnamon’s glittering commercial allure drew in monopolistic colonisers, and the consequences were to remake the island - utterly. First came the 15th-century Portuguese, then the Dutch, who set up Sri Lanka as a de facto cinnamon estate, with stringent laws, huge fines, and deportation for anyone who cut down a cinnamon tree without permission.

 

THE CHEMISTRY OF CINNAMON

Unlike Chinese cinnamon (Cinnamon aromaticum or Cinnamon cassia), which comes from Vietnam & Indonesia, Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) comes almost only from Sri Lanka. Both improve insulin levels, increase blood sugar uptake, reduce cholesterol, and prevent the buildup of tau, a substance that can lead to Alzheimer’s. But they differ in their inclusion of coumarin, a compound that causes liver damage. Compared to Chinese cinnamon, Sri Lankan cinnamon has extremely low levels of this dangerous chemical - 250 times less, to be exact. It is therefore the only sure variety to use for health benefits. Gourmands argue for its preference in cooking. Sri Lankan cinnamon has an arresting, distinct flavour – sweeter, subtler, and less bitter, with a softer texture and lighter colour. As one food writer put it: “It is the flavour equivalent of being hugged by your grandmother.”

 

GROWING CINNAMON

Here, a unique form of gardening comes into play – the Kandyan gardening technique, developed 500 years ago.  It mimics a tropical rainforest and fosters a self-sustaining ecosystem that improves soil health and the plants' resilience to disease. Erosion is minimised; fallen leaves keep soil temperatures at favourable levels and improve fertility. The planted cinnamon likes it hot but not blistering – a steady temperature of around 25˚C to 32˚C- and its demand for plenty of moisture means it is a firm fixture in the central hilly area of the country.  It is planted out in clusters to ensure a shrubby plant, best able to give off many branches.

 

HARVESTING CINNAMON

To harvest it, the branches are cut, the leaves are removed, and the outer layer of bark is scraped off with a knife. The raw stems are rubbed with brass rods to squeeze out the oils, and then the softer inner bark is peeled to a target width, with different widths determining the final grade of the spice. Thirteen different grades are recognised, determined largely by the diameter of the quill. The highest, known as Alba, has quills less than 6mm in diameter.

 

1. Trim the Branch.  Cut a straight, young branch from the tree. Trim off small leaves, shoots, or knots to leave a smooth, clean stick.

2. Scrape the Outer Bark. The very outside of the branch is a rough, bitter, greyish-brown layer. Use a sharp knife to gently scrape away the thin outer layer until you see a yellowish-green or light-brown inner layer.

3. Loosen the Inner Bark. With a brass or copper stick, firmly rub the scraped branch. This bruises the inner bark and loosens it from the underlying hardwood core.

4. Slice & Peel. Make a straight, vertical slice down the length of the bark with a sharp knife, cutting just deep enough to hit the wood core. Gently slip your knife blade under the cut edge of the bark and pry it away from the wood. If you loosened it well in step 3, the inner bark should peel off in long, beautiful sheets or tubes.

5. Prepare. Dry the peeled sheets in indirect sunlight so they naturally curl into cinnamon sticks, or "quills".

 

LOCATION

The Hotel has several acres of cinnamon planted in the Spice Garden, and on Singing Civet Hill, where you will be helped to harvest the branches before being taught how to peel the cinnamon.