Cloves
Dried, intensely aromatic flower buds. Sweet, warm, and a little medicinal in large amounts, so recipes use them sparingly. Whole cloves are meant to be removed before serving; ground cloves blend invisibly into batters.
Used for
- mulled cider
- baking
- hams
- braises
In the kitchen
- Stud whole cloves into an onion or ham for easy removal later.
- Grind fresh for the most potent flavor in baking.
- Use sparingly. A little overwhelms a dish fast.
Picking it at the store
- Whole cloves keep their potency far longer than ground. Grind only what you need if you use them often.
- Fish out whole cloves before serving; biting into one is unpleasantly intense.
Related terms
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