“Hot” Lies and Cinnamon

I’m tired of things that allege to taste like cinnamon but are actually just hot.

A cinnamon stick is a brown, tubular when dried, aromatic piece of tree bark used as a spice. One will note that the scent of a cinnamon stick is not hot. It is neither scorching nor sizzling. It is not even warm unless used in a context to describe it as an inviting scent.

There is little to no similarity between an actual cinnamon stick and cinnamon candy. They are spice-y, but not as a spice, as cinnamon. They are spicy in the way that salsa is spicy.

Of the many notable criminals of false flavoring, the most recognizable may be Hot Tamales Candy. Careful examination has shown that these candies, advertised for their burning, scorching or intense flavor, bear no resemblance to tamales or cinnamon in shape or flavor to any degree, both as a measure of heat and a measure of proximity, to actual cinnamon.

Look how they lie to you! Right on the front of the package it claims to be ‘Cinnamon Flavored’ when really it is just irritatingly hot.

And with all of the imposters in the world, we must hoist the truth-bearing foodstuffs of cinnamon flavored accuracy upon righteous shoulders.

And eat them.

Cinnamon rolls, yes, cinnamon rolls are so delightful; a true gift from the heavens and of honest cinnamon flavor. I think God made them on the sixth day. Then, he put them in the fridge and baked them on the morning of the seventh day for breakfast before church.

Cinnamon rolls are genuine. They are not culprits in this fiery fabrication, this sizzling sham. They are heroes of true cinnamon flavor…

Except they aren’t usually flavored with actual cinnamon, but rather cinnamon’s less costly cousin, cassia.

So, while you may be enjoying that Cinnabon, I can’t say it’s truly cinnamon giving your taste buds this grace. What I can say for certain is if it’s hot, it’s not cinnamon.


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