Cloves

Named after the Latin word for 'nail' (clavus), cloves are the dried unopened flower buds of a tropical tree (Syzygium aromaticum) belonging to the myrtle family. As their name suggests, the rust-brown buds resemble small nails, with a tapered stem.

Cloves have a warm, aromatic aroma and a sweetly pungent, astringent and aromatic taste and may be used whole or ground into a powder to flavour a variety of sweet or savoury dishes. They may also be combined with other spices to provide mixtures such as garam masala, sweet mixed spice, quatre épices and Chinese five spice powder. As cloves are very pungent, it is best not to add too much of this spice or it will overpower the food being seasoned.

Whole cloves may be used to 'stud' meat such as hams, pork and beef by pushing the tapered end into the meat like a nail, and a clove-studded onion is an excellent way to add flavour to courts-bouillons, stews, stocks and soups. Cloves may also be used to enhance the flavour of flavour of game, particularly venison, hare and wild boar. They are an important flavouring in traditional bread sauce, which is used to accompany roast chicken or turkey. Other savoury dishes such as onion and rice-based dishes and Indonesian and Chinese recipes can also benefit from the addition of cloves. Cloves may also be used to flavour sweet dishes, such as biscuits, fruit cakes, sweet spiced pickles, mead, claret cups and mulled wine. They have a special affinity for recipes containing cooked apples and pears.

Once ground, cloves soon lose their pungency, so it is best to buy them whole and grind them as and when they are needed. They are extremely hard, so grinding is best done in an electric grinder (such as a coffee grinder) rather than in a mortar and pestle. If stored in an airtight container in a cool dry area, whole cloves may be kept for up to a year, whilst ground cloves will last up to 3 months.