Autumn Spices: Turmeric, Ginger and Cinnamon, Properties and Uses
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🌿 Why we crave warm spices in autumn
When the first cold days arrive, the kitchen changes pace: soups, baked desserts and warm evening drinks come back. In this season three spices take centre stage in many homes: turmeric, ginger and cinnamon. They have a warm aroma, pair well together and turn a simple dish into something special.
In this guide we look at where they come from, which compounds define them, how to use them in cooking and how to store them so they keep their aroma for longer.
🟡 Turmeric: the golden root
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) belongs to the same family as ginger. The spice comes from the rhizome, the underground root, which is boiled, dried and ground. Its deep yellow colour comes from curcuminoids, especially curcumin.
Curcumin dissolves poorly in water, so in cooking turmeric is used with some fat, such as extra virgin olive oil or milk, and often with a pinch of black pepper, which contains piperine. Its flavour is warm and slightly bitter.
- ✨ Where to use it: risotto, legume soups, pumpkin soup, roasted vegetables and the classic golden milk
- ✨ How much: half a teaspoon is enough to colour and flavour a dish for four
🫚 Ginger: the pungent aroma
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is also a rhizome. Fresh, it tastes pungent and citrusy; ground, it becomes rounder and warmer. Its heat comes from gingerols, which partly turn into even stronger shogaols when the root is dried.
- ✨ In the kitchen: spiced biscuits, gingerbread, marinades, Asian soups and curries
- ✨ In drinks: a pinch in hot herbal teas and infusions, with lemon and honey
Ground ginger is more concentrated than fresh: as a rule of thumb, a quarter teaspoon of powder roughly equals a tablespoon of freshly grated root.
🟤 Cinnamon: Ceylon or Cassia?
Cinnamon is the inner bark of some trees of the genus Cinnamomum, rolled and dried. Two main types are sold: Ceylon cinnamon, milder and sweeter, and Cassia cinnamon, stronger and more common.
Cassia contains more coumarin, an aromatic compound for which the European Food Safety Authority has set a tolerable daily intake. Normal kitchen use is not a concern; if you eat generous amounts of cinnamon every day, however, Ceylon is the better choice.
- ✨ In desserts: apple cake, strudel, biscuits, porridge and yogurt
- ✨ In savoury dishes: stews, tagines, marinated meat and pumpkin soups
☕ Recipe: autumn golden milk
Golden milk brings the three spices together in a warm evening drink. For one cup, heat 250 ml of milk or plant-based drink with half a teaspoon of turmeric, a pinch of ginger, a pinch of cinnamon and a grind of black pepper. Stir over low heat for five minutes without boiling, then sweeten with a teaspoon of honey.
🫙 How to store ground spices
Ground spices lose their aroma long before they go off. Keep them in tightly closed jars, away from light, moisture and heat sources such as the hob. Always use a dry spoon; a ground spice usually keeps its best aroma for about a year after opening.
Spices shine in autumn dishes: try turmeric with dried legumes and cinnamon on breakfast whole grains. For more seasonal pantry tips, read our guide to autumn nutrition.
💚 Our organic spices
At Natura Bio Italia you will find the organic spices of IoBoscoVivo, gluten free and suitable for a vegan diet, together with the dried herbs of Teo Natura.
- ✨ Organic turmeric powder: 100 g, €4.90
- ✨ Organic ginger powder: 100 g, €6.00
- ✨ Organic cinnamon powder: 100 g, €4.90
- ✨ Organic dried rosemary and bay leaves: 200 g, for roasts, soups and legumes