Leaves of rue

Rue is an erect plant that has bushy branches and can appear to be as wide as it is tall. The flowers are very distinct as they can be almost green in color in addition to yellow.

Rue features prominently in Lithuanian and Ukrainian folklore and songs. It was used in church ceremonies in England and became known as “herb of grace”. They are commonly grown in herb gardens, usually for decoration rather than culinary use. Plants grow best in full sun and react well to being cut back each year.

The medicinal and culinary properties are attributed to the presence of essential oils which are contained in all parts of the plant. It is known that herbal and medicinal plants have been used for treatment of diseases, especially in the developing countries.

Rue plant leaves have a strong, bitter taste, but they are edible. They’re typically used as a condiment to flavor various foods and as a tea. They may be used raw or dried for use as a seasoning.

Rue are used to flavor sour milk and cheese and used commonly as spice or dipped/stirred during a traditional Ethiopian coffee and tea ceremony. They are also used to flavor “kuti” which is used as a hot beverage brewed from coffee leaves. The fruits are used as ingredients of the local “berbere” and “mitten shiro” spice mix.

If need the flavor with only a bit of the bitterness, steep the rue in a gently simmering liquid for a minute, then discard the leaves and use the liquid. Rue can be nice used with sour, acidic foods, which help to tone down its bitterness — tomato sauces, dishes with olives or capers, etc.
Leaves of rue

The use cinnamon

The bark of various cinnamon species is one of the most important and popular spices used worldwide not only for cooking but also in traditional and modern medicines. Cinnamon has a pungent sweet aroma and flavor and is pale brown. Cinnamon is actually made from the bark of a small tree that grows around the world in places like Brazil, Egypt, India , Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Recent studies have determined that consuming as little as one-half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily may reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels by as much as 20% in type 2 diabetes who are not taking insulin.

Cinnamon is also added to flavour chewing gums due to its mouth refreshing effects and ability to remove bad breath.

Cinnamon has been used as a spice and as traditional herbal medicine for centuries. Cinnamon is used in a variety of dishes worldwide – curries, soups, spice rubs, pumpkin and winter squash, poached fruit, mulled and hot beverages and most notably, on baked goods.

The most popular type of cinnamon in the United States, cassia is heavenly for baking, but it’s also divine in marinades and meat dishes. Oil of cinnamon produces a more pleasing flavor than ground cinnamon. However, the former is expensive.

Cinnamon also has a natural affinity for lamb, sprinkled on chops or roasts, or in piquant Turkish lamb stew with tomato, apricots, and pistachios. In addition to its culinary uses, cinnamon has been employed as a stomachic and carminative for gastrointestinal complaints as well as other ailments and is still used for these conditions in many countries.
The use cinnamon