What's your spice?

If I had to choose a spice that defines me, it would have to be Cinnamon. Of course, that makes it my favourite as well. Sweet; spicy- with an intense, distinctive, and unmistakable exotic woody fragrance, Cinnamon has always delighted my senses. Apart from being the only spice that is used often in baking in almost every part of the world, Cinnamon is also used in savory dishes. I particularly love how its used in Biryani. It would never taste the same without the use of Cinnamon. It's also used quite commonly in Middle Eastern cooking. 

Authentic Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka (Ceylon), so I learned very recently. But apparently it was valued and used in ancient times as well. It was known to have “an aroma of divine worship and of sensual luxury”. In fact, the Romans used to consider Cinnamon as a sacred spice. Nero, the fifth Roman emperor, is said to have burned a whole years supply of Cinnamon at his wife's funeral. (Who was murdered by him in the first place anyway!) In the 15th century it was so highly sought after and highly-prized, that there were wars fought over it.  A spice that was once associated with the Gods and royalty, is now being grown in several tropical countries all over the world and is not difficult to find and affordable to lesser mortals like me, thankfully!

Cinnabon was my favourite place for pastries before I knew anything about baking. I could smell their treats stores away! And there's nothing like the aroma of baked Cinnamon pastries. It transforms me into a different mood all together! Which is what happened when I baked these little indulgent muffins the other day. The entire house smelled like heaven! And the weather was perfect for it- a hot cup of chai or coffee and a hot Cinnamon doughnut muffin, on a cloudy nostalgic day.

They took very little time to bake and are quite light as well. And I have to admit- these have replaced Blueberry muffins to become my new favourite muffins! (Sorry blueberry muffins, but I still love you very much too!)