Cloves are an ancient spice, used for millennia in China and imported by the Romans. Cloves are the dried flower buds of a tree with an intensely sharp, slightly bitter taste. Use sparingly as they can overpower other flavors. In holiday cooking, cloves traditionally appear ground in gingerbread and fruitcake, and whole in mulled wine or studding baked and glazed hams.

Use cloves whole or ground. If you use whole cloves to flavor a dish, make sure to remove them before serving, as in our fresh ham. Cloves don't need toasting before use.