Cloves
(Caryophyllus aromaticus)
Description
The evergreen clove tree has a pyramid-shaped crest and grows to be approximately 12 metres high. When it is 6 years old, the tree bears both male and female fruit. When the flower buds are bright red, they are harvested and dried in the sun until the cloves get their typical brown colour. They lose about two thirds of their weight during drying. There are between 4000 and 7000 buds in half a kilogram of cloves.
Origin
Cloves originally come from the Moluccas (Indonesia), although today they are produced by many countries all over the world, from countries along the Indian Ocean to Latin America. Most are imported from Madagascar, the Comoros and Brazil.
Indonesia is the biggest producer and also the biggest consumer of cloves in the world. There, they are used in the tobacco industry, where they are used to make cigarettes. These “kretek” cigarettes, of which around 36 billion are produced each year, contain two parts tobacco and one part spices. Their name comes from the fact that they crackle when lit due to the oil in the spices. Half of all cloves produced in the world are consumed in Indonesia, mostly to produce these cigarettes.
Did you know?
The oil from the clove buds is used in the cosmetics industry, which uses it in perfumes and make-up. Oil can also be extracted from the stem or the leaves, but this oil is of a lesser quality.
A nice decoration that also smells wonderful can be produced by simply sticking a few cloves into an orange.
Quality
The quality is determined by the oil content and the shape of the clove. The higher the oil content, the better the quality. A clove should be long, thick and brown in colour. You can also check whether the buds are closed, which is a sign of good quality. Do not store cloves in a metal container, but in glass, for instance.
Uses
The whole clove can be used with ham, sausages, cold meats, spreads, soups and salad dressings. Besides their use in savoury products, cloves are also added to sweet baked goods.