Cloves Are A Spice Made From The Flower Buds Of An Evergreen Tree Called, Appropriately Enough, The Clove Tree. Clove Flower Buds Are Harvested In Their Immature State And Then Dried. Cloves Can Be Used Whole Or Ground, And They Have A Very Strong, Pungent Flavor And Aroma. Whole Cloves Are Shaped Like A Small, Reddish-Brown Spike, Usually Around One Centimeter In Length, With A Bulbous Top.

Cloves Are Used To Flavor Sauces, Soups And Rice Dishes, Notably A Number Of Traditional Indian Dishes, And It's One Of The Components Of Garam Masala. Whole Cloves Are Either Removed Before Serving Or Picked Out Of The Dish. Even When Cooked, Whole Cloves Have A Very Hard, Woody Texture And Not Only Would Their Flavor Would Be Overpowering, Someone Could Break A Tooth Biting Into One.