The introduction to Fragrant Frontier left me wondering about my own spice cabinet, particularly the glass jars labeled “Saigon cinnamon.” This collection of essays reveals the “tenuous taxonomy” (99) of the genus Cinnamomum and the numerous debates, misconceptions, and intentional efforts to muddy the origins, quality, and history of the spice we colloquially refer to as “cinnamon” in English. The messiness of botanical classifications, processes of valuation, and diverse naming practices is just one thread in a larger, complicated story about commodity production in the Sino-Vietnamese uplands. Fragrant Frontier unpacks our knowledge and perceptions of cinnamon, along with black cardamom and star anise, to “demystify these roots and the spice trade networks that start in the Sino-Vietnamese uplands” (1). These three spices are botanically and historically fascinating, each with their own uses in Vietnam, China, and other global contexts, but they are brought together in the context of the Sino-Vietnamese...

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