Indian Name: Laung
Scientific Name: Eugenia caryophyllus syn: E. caryophyllata, E . aromatica, Caryophyllus aromaticus, Syzgium aromaticum

Other Names

French: clou de girofle
German: Gewuzenelke
Italian: chiodo di garofano
Spanish: clavo de especia
Burmese: ley-nyin-bwint
Chinese: ding heung
Indian: lao(o)ng, laung lavang, lavungam
Thai: gahn plu

Cloves are grown in India and Madagascar, but Indonesia is most closely associated with the production of cloves. Indeed, so lucrative was the clove trade originating in an island chain once known as the Spice Islands (now part of Indonesia), that in 1667, following the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the British ceded the islands to the Dutch in exchange for a faraway settlement then known as New Amsterdam. Thus did the Dutch swap Manhattan for cloves.

Cloves are a spice made from the flower buds of an evergreen tree called, appropriately enough, the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum). Clove flower buds are harvested in their immature state and then dried. Whole cloves are shaped like a small, reddish-brown spike, usually around 1 centimeter in length, with a bulbous top. Cloves can be used whole or ground, and they have a very strong, pungent flavor and aroma.

Cloves are a pungent warm spice with an intense flavor and aroma. The flavor comes from the compound eugenol. On the tongue, you’ll detect sweetness, bitterness, and astringency (drying the mouth), with a noticeable amount of heat. Similar warm spices include nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. These are often combined in a pumpkin pie blend. Cloves are much more powerful than these more-tepid flavor cousins and therefore less is used in a recipe or blend. Some people find the flavor of cloves overwhelming and choose to leave this spice out entirely.

Whole or ground cloves are used to flavor sauces, soups and rice dishes, notably a number of traditional Indian dishes, and it’s one of the components of garam masala. Whole cloves are either removed before serving or picked out of the dish. Even when cooked, whole cloves have a very hard, woody texture that would be unpleasant to bite into.

Cloves also feature in any number of desserts, especially ground cloves, and particularly around the holidays. Think eggnog or pumpkin pie spice. Cloves are often paired with cinnamon or nutmeg, but in general, it’s a good idea to use cloves sparingly.