The Wonder Of Cloves...!

Let's talk about the wonderful little Clove. Whether used in cooking or in medicine, the Clove is an absolute wonder.

Clove oil is extracted from the dried, brown cloves so familiar to cooks. These are, in fact, the unopened buds of the tree Eugenia Caryophyllus originally native to Indonesia.

Now it is very important that you use only oil extracted from the bud of the tree, as oil extracted from the stalk or the leaves are very powerful skin irritants.

The tree belongs to the botanical family of Myrtaceae which makes it a “cousin” to Eucalyptus, Tea Tree and other oils noted for their anti-infectious action.

Clove oil is a very powerful antiseptic and well worth using at home in an aromatic oil burner if there are many germs around.

It blends well with other oils such as Orange and Cinnamon to make a lovely “winter type” fragrance, which at the same time gives you protection against winter germs.

Clove is a good painkiller and has the oil has long been used to ease toothache. It is used in many commercial toothpastes, mouthwashes and the like. The taste as well as the smell is delightful!

Safety data from Holistic Therapies Spain. Clove oil should be treated with respect as it can be a skin irritant – use it only well diluted and only in small amounts.

Now, I don't know about you but I am in the mood for some fresh coffee !