Cloves from Madagascar
Quick answer: cloves from Madagascar are among the most aromatic in the world. Harvested on the east coast, they offer intense, slightly hot and woody notes. Madagascar is the world's leading producer of cloves and clove essential oil.
Cloves from Madagascar are used whole or ground, in cooking and in infusions alike. It is a highly concentrated spice: a few cloves are enough to flavor an entire dish.
Where Madagascar cloves come from
The clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum) grows in the Analanjirofo region, on the east coast. The flower buds are picked before blooming, sun-dried, then sorted. This precise harvest gives the cloves their elongated shape and abundant aromatic oil.
Aroma profile: warm, hot, medicinal
Clove is one of the most powerful spices: its warm, resinous fragrance comes from eugenol, its main compound. It evokes wood, winter cooking and hot drinks.
How to use cloves in the kitchen
Cloves are used sparingly. They enrich broths, marinades, confits, mulled wines and gingerbread. A few cloves studded into an onion flavor a soup or a pot-au-feu.
- 2 to 3 cloves in a broth or a pot-au-feu.
- In a mulled wine or a spiced cider.
- Crushed into a gingerbread or French toast spice mix.
- In a curry, at the start of cooking, with cardamom and cinnamon.
Benefits and properties
Rich in eugenol, clove is traditionally used for its oral and digestive antiseptic effect. Its essential oil is known for relieving dental pain. Like all powerful spices, it should be used in moderation.
How to store cloves
Whole cloves keep their fragrance for up to 18 months in an airtight jar. The powder oxidizes faster: prefer whole cloves and grind to order for optimal fragrance.
Frequently asked questions
How many cloves for a dish? 2 to 4 cloves are enough for 4 people. More, and the clove overwhelms everything.
Whole or ground? Whole for long cooking, to be removed at the end. Ground for dry rubs and baking.
Can clove replace another spice? No, its aroma is unique. It is rather a partner to cinnamon, cardamom and pepper.
Buy cloves from Madagascar
For your infusions and simmered dishes, take the 25 g pouch. You will also find clove essential oil for uses beyond the kitchen.
See also: our cloves and the guide to spices from Madagascar.
