Cloves have been valued as a spice for centuries in Europe, North Africa and most of Asia. They should be dosed sparingly, because taste and sharpness are dominant and hardly become less during cooking.

In African and Arabic cuisine, cloves are often used for meat and rice dishes. In Europe, cloves are mainly used for desserts, compotes and spiced breads. In general, cloves are an important component of the Worcester sauce, the Chinese Five Spice Blend and the North Indian Garam Masalla.

Whole cloves can be cooked or pulled along for sauerkraut, cooking fish decoction, roast venison, sauerbraten. Kanninchenbraten and large roast pork. In sweet fruit soups, compotes, plum butter and apple porridge, clove flavor is indispensable.