Clove, Whole

An icon of the spice world, cloves are the dried, unopened flowers of a tree that’s a member of the myrtle family. They probably make you think of holiday hams and hot apple cider, with good reason—the piquant, brightly spicy buds are similar to cinnamon in both flavor and historical use. They’ve appeared as a breath freshener in the Han dynasty; a Victorian Christmas staple;  and a key ingredient in garam masala.