|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
| |
 |
Syzygium
aromaticum (L.) Merr. And Perry (Syn. Eugenia caryophyllus)
Family:
Myrtaceae
Description
Clove, small, reddish-brown
flower bud of the tropical evergreen tree Syzygium aromaticum
of the family Myrtaceae, was important in the earliest
spice trade and believed in indigenous to the Moluccas
or Spice Islands (now Maluka), of Indonesia. The people
of the Moluccas used to plant a clove tree to celebrate
the birth of a child and would wear a necklace of cloves
as a protection from evil spirit and illness. Strong in
aroma and hot and pungent in taste, cloves are used to
flavour many foods, particularly meats and bakery products;
in Europe and the USA the spice is a characteristic flavouring
in Christmas holiday fare, such as wassail and mincemeat.
The name clove is believed to be derived from the French
word clou meaning nail due to the appearance of this spice. |
|
| As
early as 200 BC, envoys from Java to the Han-dynasty court
of China brought cloves that were customarily held in
the mouth to perfume the breath during audiences with
the emperor. During the late Middle ages, cloves were
used in Europe to preserve, flavour, and garnish food.
Clove cultivation was almost entirely confined to Indonesia,
and in the early 17th century the Dutch eradicated cloves
on all islands except Amboina and Ternate in order to
create scarcity and sustain high prices. In the latter
half of the 18th century the French smuggled cloves from
the East Indies to Indian Ocean islands and the New World,
breaking the Dutch monopoly. |
| |
| Cultivation |
| |
The
clove tree is an evergreen that grows to about 8 to 12
m in height. Its gland-dotted leaves are small, simple
and opposite. The trees are usually propagated from seeds
that are planted in shaded areas. Flowering begins about
the fifth year; a tree may annually yield up to 75 pounds
(34 kg) of dried buds. The buds, just before the flowers
open, are hand-picked in late summer and again in winter
and are then sun-dried. The island of Zanzibar, which
is part of Tanzania, is the world's largest producer of
cloves. Madagascar and Indonesia are smaller producers.
Cloves vary in length from about 1/2 to 3/4 inch (13 to
19 mm).
Cloves contain 14 to 20 percent essential oil, the principal
component of which is the aromatic oil eugenol (70 - 90%).
Cloves are strongly pungent owing to eugenol, which is
extracted by distillation to yield oil of cloves. Three
essential oils are available from this spice: clove bud
oil, clove stem oil and clove leaf oil. Each has different
chemical composition and flavour. Clove bud oil, the most
expensive and the best quality product, contains eugenol
(80 - 90%), eugenol acetate (15%) and beta caryophyllene
(5 - 12%). |
| |
| Culinary
Use |
| Cloves
are ingredients in many classic spice mixtures. Whole
cloves are frequently used to flavour cooking liquids
for simmering fish, poultry, game and meat. They feature
in classic sauces and are used in the bakery industry
and the processed meats industry as a ground spice. |
| |
| Medicinal
and other use |
| The
clove oil is used to prepare microscopic sSlides for viewing
and is also a local anesthetic for toothaches. It is a
strong antiseptic and preservative. It is used to treat
flatulence, colic, indigestion and nausea. Eugenol is
used in germicides, perfumes and mouthwashes, in the synthesis
of vanillin, and as a sweetener or intensifier. |
|
| |
|
|
|
