Why it works: Clove and cinnamon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,189 recipes. Both carry ethyl cinnamate, which smells sweet, balsamic. The science ↓
French Pickle
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the tomatoes
Pack green tomatoes and sprinkle with 1 cup salt.
Slice tomatoes and let them stand overnight with salt well sprinkled through.
Add 1 quart onions.
In the morning drain the liquid, cook for 20 minutes in 1 quart vinegar and 2 quarts water.
Drain that liquid.
Make the pickling syrup and seal
Combine 2 quarts vinegar, mustard seed, 3 lbs brown sugar, 1 tablespoon allspice, 1 tablespoon cloves, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ginger. Boil 15 minutes, then seal in hot jars.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Allspice | 1 tsp ground (1.9g) | 5 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp grated fresh (2g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Clove + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,189 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Clove + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together7,874 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Cinnamon + allspicetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,536 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Cinnamon + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,380 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,038 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green tomatoes (in the method)
- Form the main body of the pickle, softened and seasoned by the salt and vinegar.
- Salt
- Draws water out of the tomatoes and onions, firming them and seasoning the pickle.
- Vinegar (in the method)
- Provides the sour acidity that preserves the pickle and balances the sweetness.
- Brown sugar (in the method)
- Adds sweetness and depth that balances the sharp vinegar.
- Onions (in the method)
- Add savory flavor and a crisp texture to the pickle.
The step that matters
Drain the salted tomatoes thoroughly before cooking. Salt draws out water overnight, and any liquid left behind dilutes the vinegar syrup, weakening its preserving acidity and flavor. Draining well keeps the pickle firm and properly seasoned.
Swap the ginger
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (clove, cinnamon, allspice):
- Nutmegfits better
- Cardamomfits about as well
- Gingerthe original
- Marjoramfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against clove, cinnamon, allspice. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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