Cloves

The small, dried buds of the clove have a strong, pungent, sweet flavour. Often used to stud ham and pork, whole cloves are also added to pickling brines, cranberries, and mulled beverages. Trade between the "Clove Island" Ternate (now Indonesia) and China dates back at least 2500 years. In China, Cloves were not only used for cooking but also for deodorising. Anyone seeing the emperor had to chew Cloves to sweeten their breath.