Cassia
Cassia is native to Southeast Asia and mainland China, and is very similar to the "true" cinnamon, Saigon Cinnamon, Camphor laurel, Malabathrum, and Cinnamonmum burmannii trees. Like the other species', the dried bark of cassia is used as a spice. The flavor of cassia is not as delicate as that of true cinnamon, thus giving it the nickname "bastard cinnamon." Instead of the small shoots that are used in the production of cinnamon, branches and small trees are harvested for cassia bark. This process is what gives cassia bark its thicker and rougher texture than that of cinnamon.
The majority of spice that is sold in the United States and Canada as cinnamon is really cassia. You can sometimes find it labeled as "Indonesian cinnamon" in order to keep it separate from the more expensive true cinnamon. This is the preferred variety of the spice in Mexico and Europe, though it may also refer to Cinnamonmum burmannii that is commonly sold in the United States and labeled only as cinnamon.
Cassia bark, whether whole or powdered is used to flavor candies, desserts, baked goods, and meet. It is specified in many curry recipes that may find cinnamon less suitable. It is sometimes blended with true cinnamon, but it is thicker and coarser. Cassia is sold either as pieces of bark or as quills or sticks. You can distinguish cassia sticks from true cinnamon sticks because unlike cinnamon sticks, Cassia sticks are extremely hard, made up of one thick layer, and they cannot be ground without first breaking them into very small pieces. Cinnamon sticks, on the other hand, have many thin layers and are easy to make into a powder with a coffee or spice grinder. On occasion, cassia buds may be used as a spice. They have the appearance and flavor of cloves.
