Cloves, whole

Clove is a dried flower bud which comes from the highly aromatic tropical evergreen tree of the same name.  This sweet-smelling spice is used in many cuisines worldwide as well as in many spice mixtures; garam masala, Moroccan Ras el Hanout, Chinese five spice and French quatre epices to name just a few.

Whole cloves can be added when roasting meats, in stews, when pickling vegetables, in white sauces or for making mulled wine & desserts.

They are usually studded in hams & roasted meats to allow its aromatic flavour to penetrate.  Also commonly studded in onions for infusing in different types of sauces eg bread sauce.

Use sparingly as too much of this spice can overpower a dish.