Question 1

What is Quillings No 1 cinnamon grade?

Accepted Answer

Quillings No 1 is the highest grade within the Ceylon cinnamon quillings category, consisting of the largest broken pieces of cinnamon bark produced during the baling and packing process. All quillings grades come from genuine Cinnamomum verum bark and are sorted purely by fragment size, with No 1 being the largest, followed by No 2 and No 3.

Question 2

What is the difference between cinnamon quillings and cinnamon sticks?

Accepted Answer

Cinnamon sticks (quills) are intact, hand-rolled tubes of dried cinnamon bark cut to a standard length and graded by diameter and quality. Quillings are the broken fragments that result when quills crack during baling. Both come from the same bark, but quillings are irregular in shape and typically cost less than whole-quill grades of comparable quality.

Question 3

Are Ceylon cinnamon quillings as good as whole quills?

Accepted Answer

In terms of flavour chemistry and low coumarin content, quillings from the same batch of bark are essentially equivalent to whole quills. The difference is aesthetic and practical — fragments are harder to retrieve from dishes and less uniform in appearance, but the essential oils and flavour compounds are the same.

Question 4

Can I use cinnamon quillings for grinding into powder?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is one of the best uses for Quillings No 1 specifically. Larger pieces feed more easily into a spice grinder or blender than fine dust, producing fresh ground cinnamon with better aroma than pre-ground powder that has been sitting on a shelf. Grind only what you need and store the rest as pieces.

Question 5

Why does Ceylon cinnamon have less coumarin than cassia?

Accepted Answer

Coumarin content is a function of the plant species, not processing. Cinnamomum verum (true cinnamon, grown primarily in Sri Lanka) naturally produces very little coumarin in its bark. Cassia species — Cinnamomum cassia and related varieties — contain significantly higher coumarin levels. European food safety regulators have set tolerable daily intake limits for coumarin, which is why choosing Ceylon true cinnamon matters for daily consumers.

Question 6

How many quillings grades are there in Ceylon cinnamon?

Accepted Answer

There are three quillings grades in the Ceylon cinnamon grading system: No 1 (largest pieces), No 2 (medium pieces), and No 3 (smallest pieces). The grading is governed by Sri Lanka's cinnamon export standards, ensuring consistency for commercial buyers.

Question 7

What is the best way to use Quillings No 1 in cooking?

Accepted Answer

Quillings No 1 works well in any application where whole-spice cinnamon is called for — slow-cooked curries, rice dishes, mulled drinks, infused syrups, and pickling brines. The larger piece size means they release flavour gradually, making them especially suited to long-simmered recipes. They can also be ground at home for fresher-tasting cinnamon powder.

Ceylon True Cinnamon "No 1 Quillings" Grade

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