Native to the Spice Islands, cloves are considered one of the world’s most important spices. They are the dried, unopened flower bud of a small tropical evergreen tree. The name is derived from the Latin word for nail, clavus. This reddish-brown seasoning has a slightly bitter, allspice-like flavor is used in sweet and savory dishes. It is highly aromatic. Cooking Notes Comes in a 1 oz. Package Traditionally used to flavor ham by sticking them into the exterior of the meat before cooking. Remove before eating. This infuses the ham with the clove flavor. Stud cloves into apples and oranges for an added flavor (remove before eating) or to make an interesting decoration. Frequently used in ham dishes Stud an onion with cloves and add to a soup or braised dish. This will add the flavor of both seasonings, and yet make the cloves easy to remove. Cloves naturally have a high oil content, so add them later in the cooking process so that they Use sparingly, since it has an intense flavor and can easily overpower other flavors Makes an attractive and effective garnish