Cloves

Whole cloves, a classic spice for braises and festive cooking

Whole cloves are among the oldest and most aromatic spices in the world. Their intense, floral-warm scent has shaped braises, mulled wine, Christmas baking and festive meals for centuries. The cloves from Altes Gewürzamt come from Sri Lanka and are packed in our workshop in Klingenberg am Main.

How to use

The most classic application is the studded onion: halve an onion, press cloves into it and cook it along in soups or broths. Cloves are also indispensable for sauerbraten, braised roast, red cabbage, red wine sauces and game dishes. Ground in a mortar, they suit marinades, spice pastes and oriental ras el hanout blends.

Cloves in Christmas cooking

No mulled wine without cloves, the same goes for gingerbread, speculoos, pepper cake, baked apple and cinnamon stars. Combines well with: cinnamon bark or green cardamom.

Good to know: use cloves sparingly, their aroma is strong and builds up during cooking. With long braising they turn bitter, so put them in a studded onion or a tea filter and remove before serving. They taste most intense freshly mortared, so roast the cloves briefly in the oven first, which releases the essential oils better.

At a glance

• Whole cloves in the best quality
• From Sri Lanka, packed in Klingenberg am Main
• A classic for sauerbraten, red cabbage and the studded onion
• Seasons mulled wine, gingerbread and apple compote
• Without flavour enhancers, anti-caking agents or additives

Goes well with

For sauerbraten and braises: Förster’s braising pot as a companion blend and Mélange Noir for the pepper component. For Christmas baking: cinnamon blossom and cardamom seed. For mulled wine variations: mulled-wine hearts. A suitable mortar: the Gigant granite mortar.

Frequently asked questions

How do I dose cloves?
Sparingly, 3 to 5 whole cloves per litre of soup or braise is enough. Cloves are very intense and can quickly dominate.

When should I remove cloves from the dish?
With long braising, cloves turn bitter, ideally put them in a studded onion or a tea filter, then they are easy to remove before serving.

Can I grind cloves too?
Yes, in a mortar or mill. Freshly ground, they taste noticeably more aromatic than ready-ground industrial products.

What are cloves good for outside festive cooking?
For sauerbraten, red cabbage, fricassee, game ragout, Indian curries, oriental ras el hanout, Moroccan tagine and Chinese five-spice powder.