cloves

ground
4.9
based on 12 reviews
try me sample
0.35 oz
75¢
shaker jar
2 oz
$8
refill
2 oz
$7
large refill
8 oz
$24
VARIANTS
whole
ground
Freshly ground cloves yield a rich chocolatey brown powder with an intense aroma and a powerful warming flavor. Cloves contain a high amount of eugenol, which is the phenol compound that lends these dried flower buds a spicy eucalyptus-like scent as well as a sweetness. Other spices like bay, nutmeg, licorice and allspice, also contain eugenol, but the content in cloves is so much higher that eugenol is sometimes called "clove oil."

Not surprisingly, cloves pair well with these aforementioned warming spices and when blended can they complement cloves' sweetness with additional bite and/or savory notes. Ground cloves can therefore be used to create interesting sweet or savory dishes.

Ground cloves lend themselves easily to dusting desserts or beverages from chais to coffees and teas. In creamy sweets they add an edge of spice. Drinks and foodstuffs that have some fat will distribute the flavor compounds best. In fact, rich, creamy eggnog gets its “bite” from a dusting of ground cloves.

Ground cloves also offer complexity to spice combinations from Indian garam masalas to Chinese 5-spice recipes and are a signature spice for pumpkin lattes and other squash-flavored foods and beverages.
QUICK INFO
cloves , ground
PROCESSING / FORM
ground
BOTANICAL NAME
Syzygium aromaticum
VOLUME
1.5 oz (43 g) per 1/2 cup
ORIGIN
Madagascar
BOTANICAL NAME
Syzygium aromaticum
AKA
clove
clove bud
clove buds
Cloves were considered one of the most desired spices during the Age of Exploration. Traders from The Netherlands and Great Britain battled for sovereignty in the market and therefore over the original group of islands in Indonesia called the Moluccas, also known as the Spice Islands.

These islands are home to the highly fragrant bushy evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Syzygium aromaticum. This impressive tree can reach heights of 50 feet, sprouting branches from a thick trunk. It flowers in its fifth year. It's these flower buds, grouped in clusters, for which these trees are prized and cultivated. The buds are harvested prior to flowering while an immature pink — then, as they dry, they turn into their signature dark brown color and are recognizable as the spice: clove.

Named for the French word clou, meaning nail, the clove does indeed look like a small nail or tack with a bulbous head and straight body.
USAGE HINT

Less ground cloves are needed when substituting for whole. We suggest ¾ tsp ground cloves for 1 tsp of whole cloves.

QUICK FACT

In the early 1600s the Dutch fabricated clove scarcity and secured their monopoly by burning clove trees on the islands that they didn't control in the Indonesian archipelago.

 
related
ARTICLES
what's a galette? it's a pseudo pie that's a piece of cake:
Prized for their casual rustic presentation as well as for their versatility—galettes are the country cousins of pie.
a spice primer:
The name is a bit of a misnomer. That is, despite the blanket name, pumpkin pie spice does not contain pumpkin.
other
RECOMMENDATIONS
4.9
cassia
ground
Ground cassia cinnamon's spicy, warm flavor and aroma star in many homespun fall and winter recipes. Cassia is dominant variety of cinnamon in America.
2 oz - JAR$8
2 oz - REFILL$7
8 oz - REFILL$24
2 oz - JAR $8
4.8
ground
Dried ground ginger is an aromatic and pungent spice with citrusy, even woodsy, notes. Used in baked goods and ginger-flavored favs.
TRY ME - SAMPLE$0.75
1.6 oz - JAR$6
1.6 oz - REFILL$5
6 oz - REFILL$13
TRY ME - SAMPLE $0.75
5.0
seeds
ground
Cardamom is a strong spice with equal parts menthol, floral, and sweet flavor. It is widely used in traditional Indian, Middle Eastern and Nordic cuisines as well as a popular flavoring for tea and coffee.
TRY ME - SAMPLE$0.75
2 oz - JAR$11
2 oz - REFILL$10
8 oz - REFILL$29
TRY ME - SAMPLE $0.75
4.8
ground
Mace's flavor is more subtle than nutmeg, though equally complex. This aromatic spice is warming, semi-sweet, and pungent.
TRY ME - SAMPLE$0.75
2 oz - JAR$16
2 oz - REFILL$15
8 oz - REFILL$49
TRY ME - SAMPLE $0.75
4.9
ground
Nutmeg has a warm, sweet, slightly pungent aroma and taste. Ground nutmeg is a clumpy, light colored, orange-brown powder.
TRY ME - SAMPLE$0.75
2 oz - JAR$6
8 oz - REFILL$14
2 oz - REFILL$5
TRY ME - SAMPLE $0.75
related
REVIEWS (12)