Cloves resemble small rust brown nails (approx. ¾ inch in length) with four points on the head. Known for the flavour they impart when used whole or ground in both sweet and savoury dishes as well as a variety of drinks especially mulled wine. They are more widely highly prized in the east than the west, for both culinary and medicinal reasons. Cloves are a very common ingredient in Indian food, where they are a constituent part of many meat dishes. In the west they are more traditionally used in breads, pickles and stewed fruits.
