Cassia

Cassia is a cinnamon substitute that has been used for thousands of years. Cassia has a sharper taste than cinnamon, and is a dark reddish-brown, while true cinnamon is tan-coloured.

It comes from China and Indonesia, while cinnamon mostly comes from Ceylon.

Many North Americans have actually developed a taste preference for Cassia, as that is what they have been used to getting labelled as cinnamon.

Cassia cinnamon sticks are always preferable to real cinnamon sticks, as real ones quickly fall apart on you in hot liquids.

Substitutes for Cassia

Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice

History Notes for Cassia

The Romans and Greeks had cinnamon, but probably the variety they had was Cassia cinnamon.

Also called:

Chinese Cassia; Chinese Cinnamon; False Cinnamon; Padang Cassia; Panang Cinnamon; Cinnamomum cassia (Scientific Name); Canelle de Chine, Canéfice, Casse (French); Chinesisches Zimt, Kassie (German); Canela de la China, Casia (Spanish); Casiae, Mosylitis (Roman)

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