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Cinnamon Lore and Legend

Myths were created to hide the location of cinnamon crops

By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com

cinnamon lore cassia quills bark sticks spice recipes receipts

Ground Cinnamon and Cassia Quills or Sticks

© 2007 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

Cinnamon Lore

The origin of cinnamon was a highly-guarded secret of the Arabs, who first brought cinnamon to the West. They concocted a number of magical myths to hide the location of the crops and enhance the mystique of this spice fit for a king.

Herodotus III wrote of the large Phoenix bird gathering the priceless spice sticks. Gatherers would lure the bird with heavy pieces of meat which the bird would laboriously haul to their nest. As legend would have it, the weight of the meat would cause the nest to fall, allowing the valuable sticks to be harvested.

More About Cinnamon and Cassia:

Cinnamon and Cassia Selection, Storage and Usage
What is cassia?
Cinnamon and Health
Cinnamon History
Cinnamon Lore
Cinnamon Recipes
Cinnamon and Cassia Photo © 2007 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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