I was over at my friend’s house for dinner recently and she was cooking up a vegetarian soul-food feast. I’m talkin’ black-eyed peas with collard greens and tempeh, green beans with tahini sauce, and rosemary mashed potatoes. The smells coming out of that kitchen were mouth-watering. And then I caught a whiff of…cinnamon?

I went into the kitchen to investigate. There she was, stirring a cinnamon stick into the black-eyed peas. Brilliant!

This wasn’t the first time I’ve encountered cinnamon paired with salty foods. Cinnamon makes an incredible addition to spicy Indian dahl (a curried red lentil soup) and Mexican mole sauce. My mother's own Persian cuisine uses a blend of cinnamon and turmeric to spice the chunks of beef used in loobiah poloh.

Where else could I use this amazing spice? I could sprinkle it onto caramelized onions, or lace it atop some buttered squash. One thing’s certain: cinnamon’s not just for dessert anymore. I'd love to get your creative suggestions, so don't be shy!

Image: Lady_AnnDerground