The bark of a tree, cinnamon comes from a tropical evergreen, a member of the laurel family. True cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. Chinese cinnamon or cassia grows throughout Southeast Asia. Both trees resemble one another closely, both have been confused with each other, but cinnamon connoisseurs prefer zeylanicum to cassia.

Cinnamon was first mentioned in print in 2700 BC by Chinese emperor Shen Nung, who was an avid promoter of agriculture. The most famous cinnamon consumer in history was Roman emperor Nero ( AD 54 to 68) who murdered his wife and then made amends by ceremoniously burning her body with a year's supply of the delectable spice.

Europeans used cinnamon to disguise the taste of spoiling meat. Over the centuries the Portuguese, Dutch, French and English, one after the other, controlled the trade of cinnamon in Sri Lanka, (then Ceylon.) Finally, enough trees had been planted beyond the island so no one power could have a monopoly. Today Sri Lanka, India, Brazil and Indonesia produce cinnamon. Cassia also grows in Indonesia, a big producer, along with China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

If you want the real thing, buy cinnamon sold in Mexico. In the U.S. many suppliers lump the two powders together, without clear labeling. It is generally believed that most cinnamon sold in the US comes from cassia.