Most of the cinnamon that's sold in America is cassia, which is cheaper and more bitter than the choice Ceylon cinnamon. With its warm, sweet flavor, cinnamon is one of the biggest workhorses on the spice shelf. Cooks often use it to flavor baked goods and drinks, but cinnamon also works wonders in stews and sauces. Indonesian cinnamon has a similar taste, but larger quills. Much of the cinnamon sold in the United States is cassia cinnamon , which isn't as well regarded.
Cloves are nail-shaped dried flower buds that have a sweet, penetrating flavor.
They can be ground and used to flavor baked goods or sauces, or left whole and poked into roasted hams or pork. The popular herb cilantro comes from the same plant, but it's not a good substitute for the seeds. You can buy the seeds already ground, but for better flavor and shelf life, buy coriander seeds and grind them yourself. To enhance the flavor, toast the seeds in a pan for a few minutes first. Cumin is a key ingredient in Southwestern chili recipes, but it's also widely used in Latin America, North Africa, and India.