Cinnamon is a spice made from the peeled, dried, and rolled bark that comes from Cinnamomum trees.  These trees are native to the Caribbean, South America, and Southeast Asia.  These trees give us Ceylon cinnamon or true cinnamon. There is also Chinese cinnamon, from southern China which tastes very similar, but is considerably cheaper to buy.

Although we eat cinnamon throughout the year, its nice smell and fragrant taste means it is more in demand in the winter months. It is added to a wide range of festive food including Christmas cakes, mulled wine, Christmas biscuits and breads.

Stollen is a fruit bread containing dried fruit and often covered with powdered sugar or icing sugar. This traditional German bread is usually eaten during the Christmas season and now it is a treat around the world.  The original bread was baked to symbolise baby Jesus wrapped in blankets and was made from water, flour, yeast and oil only.  Over time the recipe has evolved to include dried fruits and spices including cinnamon.