Cloves

Constituents: Essential oil - Resin - Tannin - Woody fibre.

Cloves are the fruit, or rather the cup of the unopened flowers of the clove tree, Caryophyllus aromaticus, a native of the Moluccas, or Clove Islands. Cloves are shaped like a nail, whence the name, from the French word clou, a nail. Good cloves have a strong, fragrant, aromatic odour, and a hot acrid taste, which is very permanent.

Pimento, Or Allspice

Constituents; Essential oil - Gum - Resinous matter - Astringent extract and fatty oil.

Pimento is the berry of the pimento tree, growing in the West Indies.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the bark of the Cinnamomum, a tree cultivated chiefly in Ceylon, and also in Bombay, Malabar, and Java. The three-years-old branches are peeled for the bark, and it is dried in the sun. The flavour of cinnamon is much liked; a very little of it flavours.

The Cassia - the bark of the Cinnamomum Cassia - is sometimes sold for the true cinnamon, but it is not so sweet, and has a slightly bitter taste.

Mixed spice is a compound of ginger, pimento, cassia, etc. etc. It is never required by a good cook, who should be able to flavour more skilfully than this mixture does.

Soda

Soda, or bicarbonate of soda, is manufactured by the decomposition of common salt. It is used for household and cleansing purposes.

Carbonate of Soda is useful for making effervescing draughts and other purposes. It has also the power of altering the colour of plants when it is put round the roots.