Whole Cloves

Small buds, big aroma

A clove is not a seed or a bark. It is the unopened flower bud of the clove tree, Syzygium aromaticum, picked by hand before it blooms. Sri Lanka's central hills grow cloves alongside cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, in the same shaded, spice-rich gardens.

The buds are picked when they turn from green to a pale pink-red, then dried in the sun until they darken to a deep, glossy brown. A good clove is plump, oily and fragrant, with a full head on a firm stem. Ours are packed whole, which locks in the oils that carry the aroma.

Cloves taste sweet and resinous with a numbing, peppery warmth. A little goes a long way, which is why the traditional uses are so restrained: one or two in a pot of rice, a few studding an onion for a stock, or a handful in a pan of mulled wine.

Stud an onion or an orange, steep a few in tea, tuck two into rice or a braise, and lift them out before serving. Grind them only when you need them, since a ground clove loses its character quickly. Keep the tin sealed and out of the light.