cloves

Cloves are widely used in baking. They are the bud of a tree that is native to the Moloku islands in Indonesia. The buds are harvested, and then dried. You can use them whole or ground depending on the recipe. For example, in baking you definitely want them ground, but say in a Southeast Asian stew, you will want them whole.

Although cloves are native to Indonesia, they are also grown in Madagascar, and India. The clove trade was always a lucrative one, and fortunes were made and lost in the buying and selling of this little cone shaped bud.

There are gourmet varieties of cloves, but this does not affect the taste, only the appearance. The higher end variety are more uniform in size and color.