cinnamon Cinnamon is the aromatic bark of the cinnamon tree. It comes in smooth medium-brown sticks that can be easily broken or shredded. It has a complex smell with a distinctive, almost sharp edge. A closely related plant, cassia, provides most of the βcinnamonβ sold in North America. The sticks, also known as quills, from cassia bark are tougher and thicker and often slightly darker in color than those of true cinnamon. Cassia also has a stronger, less subtle flavor. The cinnamon used in India is also cassia, sometimes known as false cinnamon; for Spanish and Mexican rice puddings, try to find true cinnamon, though cassia quills can be substituted.
