Chiodi di Garofano

Brought to Italy around the time of the Crusades, cloves are still popular in Italy. The clove (from the Latin clavus, like the Italian chiodi, meaning ‘nail’) is an unopened bud of the Eugenia carophillata, an evergreen tree that grows up to 15 metres (45 feet) high. The buds are picked and dried in the sun so that they keep their pungent aroma, and are used in many recipes, including vino brûlé (mulled wine), roast meats, game sauces, marinades, stocks, cooked fruit, and when preserving fungi and gherkins. Clove powder and oil are also widely used both in the pâtisserie industry, and as a medicine (for their anaesthetic qualities).