Cloves

Cloves are a seasoning staple in Asian, African and Middle Eastern cuisines—especially in curries and marinades. Highly aromatic, they pair well with cinnamon, allspice, vanilla and star anise. A simple way to incorporate cloves into desserts is by grinding and mixing them with confectioners' sugar as a topping for butter cookies. Cloves also work well in this fragrant compote made from butter, thinly sliced sweet yellow onions, and whole cloves sautéed slowly over a low heat; it's a perfect accompaniment to grilled steak, chicken or pork. Find these recipes and more in Food & Wine's guide to cloves.