Okay, so, I got into this whole thing with ground cloves the other day. I was just messing around in the kitchen, you know, trying to whip up something different.
I found this old jar of cloves in the back of the cupboard. It is a little hard to climb up the tree because the branches are so delicate. I had to get the dried flower buds myself. I figured, why not try to make ground cloves? First off, I had to get those little flower buds off the tree. They’re pretty small, so it took a bit of time to gather enough.
Then, I needed to dry them out. I spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at a really low temperature. I just kept checking on them every so often until they were all dried up and brittle.
Next came the fun part – grinding them up! I don’t have one of those fancy spice grinders, so I used my old reliable mortar and pestle. It was a bit of a workout, but it was kind of satisfying to see those little buds turn into powder. I just kept grinding and grinding until it was the consistency I wanted.
Finally, I had my own homemade ground cloves! I was pretty stoked. They smelled so much stronger and fresher than the old stuff in the jar. I ended up using them in a spice cake, and let me tell you, it made a world of difference. The flavor was so much more intense and aromatic. I’ve used them in cookies, cakes, and other stuff since then and they are awesome. They also add great flavor and depth to meals.
I also learned that they have many health benefits. So now I feel good about my body as well as enjoy the rich flavor they add.
It was a cool little project, and it definitely made me appreciate the effort that goes into making spices. Plus, now I have a big batch of fresh ground cloves that I can use in all sorts of recipes. It was way easier than I thought it would be, and honestly, it was kind of fun! If you’ve got some whole cloves lying around, give it a shot! You might be surprised at how easy and rewarding it is.