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Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree native to the Maluku islands of Indonesia. The flavor of cloves comes from a mix of essential oils, most notably Eugenol and vanillin. While on a spice hunting trip in Sulawasi Indonesia, we found a family farm in the hills above the Lembeh Straits growing the most fragrant cloves we've ever encountered. Cloves are used in many cuisines around the world lending flavor to curries, meats, and rubs, as well as fruit such as apples, pears or rhubarb. Cloves may be used to give aromatic and flavor qualities to hot beverages, often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar. They are a common element in spice blends such as pumpkin pie spice. Our whole cloves come primarily from Madagascar. This little island in the Indian Ocean became a fertile location for growing spices seemingly overnight, after the clove tree was first introduced from Indonesia in the early 19th century.