Savor the Flavor of Fall

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Historically, cinnamon tea has been used to freshen breath, calm an upset stomach and to deodorize the air (boil a cinnamon stick or two in a pot of water to remove unpleasant odors from your kitchen). But perhaps most importantly, we use cinnamon to make cinnamon toast—from my perspective, one of the true pleasures of childhood. On cold, wintry days, my mother would toss a few slices of bread in the toaster, then slather them with butter and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar. Another quick cinnamon treat is to stir a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon into vanilla ice cream.

Most Americans think of cinnamon as a dessert spice, but in many parts of the world it is used to season rice, meats, fish and poultry as well, and the flavor of cinnamon is delicious when paired with these ingredients. If you haven't eaten cinnamon in a savory dish, the recipes below will introduce you to a new range of flavors.

Cinnamon Rice

By Amy Topel

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grain brown rice
1 bay leaf
4-6 dried apricots, slivered
4 cups water or stock
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Heat the butter in a heavy bottomed pot over low heat. Add the onion and cinnamon stick. Sauté, stirring frequently until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and rice and sauté for 1 minute. Add the bay leaf, apricots, water or stock, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the rice comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered for about 45 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Do not stir the rice while it is cooking. To see if all the water has been absorbed, slide a butter knife or wooden spoon along one edge of the pot and look to see if there is any water left. Once all the water is absorbed, turn the heat off and allow the rice to rest in the pot with the lid on for 10 minutes. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil if desired, fluff with a fork, taste and adjust the seasonings.