cinnamon

[Laurence Horn]

On Feb 9, 2012, at 1:50 AM, Wilson Gray wrote:
> 
> "Cinnamon" is used among black people to describe, purely
> subjectively, a skin-tone and is also commonly used as a nom-de-nudite
> by purveyors of entertainment in "gentlemen's clubs" and by
> "porn-stars."
> 
> --
> -Wilson
This reminded me of a Brazilian novel on my parents' bookshelves (just down the shelf from Lady Chatterley) when I was growing up whose title always piqued my interest, although I confess not the extent of actually getting me to read it:  Jorge Amado's _Gabriela, Clove, and Cinnamon_.  From the cover, I assumed that these exotic spices also referred to skin color, and I see now from the description at
http://whisperinggums.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/jorge-amado-gabriela-clove-and-cinnamon/
that I was probably on the right track:  "The basic plot concerns Nacib (the Arab) and his love for Gabriela (the simple, but sensuous, mulatto girl he hires as his cook)."

"simple but sensuous"…hmmm…

LH

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