STORE ground cinnamon or quills (sticks) in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

It's best to buy small quantities of ground cinnamon as it quickly becomes stale, losing flavour and aroma.

Grind your own from cinnamon quills using a spice or coffee grinder for best flavour, or use whole quills.

USING GROUND CINNAMON

SPRINKLE a little cinnamon in with coffee grounds before brewing.

SPRINKLE on chicken noodle soup for added flavour.

SPRINKLE on frozen vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

COMBINE cinnamon with chocolate when making chocolate cake, SPRINKLE cinnamon on pumpkin or sweet potato before roasting, or stir through mashed pumpkin or sweet potatoes.

SLICE apples, put them in a plastic bag and add a tablespoon of cinnamon and shake. This is a great snack in front of television.

MIX with sugar and put in an empty spice jar with a shaker for cinnamon toast.

ON THE barbecue, grill fresh slices of apples, peaches or pineapple and before serving sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.

USING CINNAMON STICKS

USE cinnamon sticks to flavour milk for custards and flans. Pour cold milk in a saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer and remove from the heat. Let the milk steep with the cinnamon until you are ready to make the custard. Discard the cinnamon sticks before using the milk.

ENHANCE the flavour of rice pudding. Add cinnamon sticks to the pudding mixture and cook. Remove the sticks from the pudding when ready to serve.

ADD cinnamon sticks to wine used as a poaching liquid for fruits (pears or apples).

COOK rice pilaf in a cinnamon-flavoured stock and add some roasted nuts and chopped dried fruit for a savoury dish with a Middle Eastern edge.