It adds flavor to meats, curries and meat marinades, ham and pork. It is often used in pastry making, along with other aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom and in recipes with fruits (apples, pears or rhubarb), and chocolate. It is thought to be a spice with very strong flavor and is used in small quantities. It pairs well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, red wine, and basil, as well as with unusual ingredients, like onion, citrus fruit peel, anise or pepper.

Cloves are the flower buds of the tropical tree from Indonesia. This red-brown spice is available and used either whole or ground. Sweet, spicy and with a warm flavor, cloves are an intense spice. Although we have combined it in our minds with bakery and sweets, this unique seasoning can also add depth to savory dishes, meats and pickles, and is widely used in the Indian, Middle Eastern, and South African cuisines.