Cinnamon refers to the spice obtained from the bark of various species
of trees in the laurel family that are distributed throughout Asia.
Cassia cinnamon, also known as Chinese cinnamon, is original to southern
China.
The cut pieces of dried bark, or cinnamon chips, naturally repel garden
insects due to the presence of cinnamaldehyde, the same aromatic
compound that lends the spice its sweet and spicy flavor.
The small pieces are also convenient to handle when mixing spice blends
for making mulled wines or pickled foods. Similarly, cinnamon chips can
easily be added to tea blends without the need to grind the bark into a
powder.
