Cloves appear in Aajonus Vonderplanitz's framework primarily in two distinct capacities: as a therapeutic numbing and pain-relief agent applied to teeth and gums in their whole or water-soaked/juiced form, and as a culinary spice used in raw recipes. In both capacities, the form in which the clove is used is critically important, the distinction between commercially processed clove oil (which Aajonus rejected) and a homemade water-soaked clove preparation (which he used on himself) is central to his guidance. As a spice ingredient, whole cloves and freshly ground cloves appear in several of the recipe formulations, where they function alongside other spices as potent, therapeutic additions used in moderate doses rather than as mere condiments.

Aajonus placed cloves within the broader context of spices being medicine, not condiments, a principle stated explicitly "Centuries ago, spices were medicine, not condiments. Spices are potent, therapeutic and enjoyable in moderate doses but discomforting when over-consumed or counter-indicated for our bodies' particular re[quirements]." This framing applies to cloves as it does to all spices he used in his recipes.

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Aajonus documented that cloves possess numbing properties that can be harnessed for dental pain and sensitivity. He used a homemade water-soaked clove preparation, not commercial clove oil, to numb his teeth prior to having all sixteen of his amalgam fillings removed. He applied this preparation directly to the teeth in order to achieve a degree of numbness sufficient to undergo hours of drilling without pharmaceutical anesthesia.

He described the effect as numbing, not eliminating, sensation. This was adequate for him to sit through four hours of amalgam removal on the bottom teeth on one morning, and four hours of amalgam removal on the top teeth the following day, without any pharmaceutical numbing agent or anesthetic of any kind.

The numbing property he accessed came from the whole cloves themselves, extracted into water over a period of approximately two weeks, then juiced to concentrate the active constituents. This preparation was what he applied to his teeth.

In the culinary recipes, cloves are used alongside cardamon, coriander, fenugreek, cinnamon, allspice, and peppercorns. In these contexts they are blended to a fine flour consistency and incorporated into sauces and pastes. The spice combination functions therapeutically, not merely for flavor, consistent with Aajonus's broader teaching that spices in their whole, raw, unheated state retain medicinal potency that is destroyed by cooking.

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Aajonus explicitly and unequivocally stated that commercial clove oil is never raw: "Clove oil is never raw." He did not use commercial clove oil. He specifically noted that clove oil had ruptured his gums a few years before the period when he was having his amalgam fillings removed. This experience, the rupturing of his gum tissue from commercial clove oil, led him to reject it entirely and develop his own alternative preparation from whole cloves.

This is a critical distinction in his framework. The commercial product is processed in a way that makes it too caustic and no longer raw, rendering it both ineffective in the way he needed and potentially harmful to delicate gum tissue.

The preparation Aajonus made and used himself was created entirely differently from commercial clove oil:

• He took whole cloves
• He placed them in water
• He soaked them in water for approximately two weeks
• He then juiced the soaked cloves
• The resulting liquid, he called it a "cream" in one description, was then applied directly to the teeth to produce numbing

This process is entirely unheated and preserves the raw, enzymatically active constituents of the clove while extracting the numbing compounds into the water medium. The two-week soaking period is the extraction phase, and the juicing step further concentrates the preparation.

In culinary applications, whole cloves are used directly. In the Spicy African Paste recipe they appear as a single whole clove in the ingredient list, blenderized together with cardamon, coriander, fenugreek, cinnamon, allspice, and peppercorns until they become a flour. In the Spiced Butter or Oil recipe, freshly ground cloves appear as a pinch, indicating the clove is ground fresh at the time of preparation rather than used as a pre-ground commercial powder, consistent with his emphasis on freshness and raw state throughout the recipe books.

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The preparation Aajonus documented for dental numbing involves:

1. Obtain whole cloves 2. Place them in water 3. Allow them to soak for approximately two weeks, this is the extraction period during which the active numbing compounds migrate from the clove into the water 4. After the soaking period, juice the cloves (along with the water they were soaked in, based on context) 5. The resulting liquid/cream is then applied directly to the teeth prior to dental work

He described the result as "cream" when referring to what he put on his teeth. The preparation was used approximately four hours before the dental procedure (in one account referencing a client's use of this approach prior to amalgam removal surgery).

For culinary use, cloves are included in their whole form (as in the Spicy African Paste, where one whole clove is called for) and in freshly ground form (as in the Spiced Butter or Oil, where a pinch of freshly ground cloves is used). The instruction to freshly grind the cloves rather than use pre-ground commercial clove powder is consistent with Aajonus's principle that freshness preserves enzymatic activity and medicinal potency.

In the Spicy African Paste recipe, the clove is part of a dry spice blend that is blenderized together with cardamon, coriander, fenugreek, cinnamon, allspice, and peppercorns in a 4-ounce jar on high speed until they are flour. This flour is then incorporated into the full sauce.

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In the dental numbing context, the clove preparation is used alone topically, applied directly to the teeth. No fat pairing is specified for the topical application itself.

However, it is worth noting that Aajonus's broader dental pain protocol, referenced as the "Pain formula" being "always the best thing for tooth pain", involves raw fats and other ingredients. The clove preparation was specifically his alternative to commercial anesthesia for dental procedures, not a formula for ongoing pain management.

In the recipe contexts, cloves are always paired with raw fats:

• In the Spicy African Paste, cloves are used in a recipe that includes 6 tablespoons flax oil and 3 tablespoons unsalted raw butter (in one version) or 6 tablespoons stone-pressed olive oil and 3 tablespoons unsalted raw butter (in the second version). These raw fats serve as the base of the sauce alongside tomatoes, honey, and other ingredients.

• In the Spiced Butter or Oil, the pinch of freshly ground cloves is blended with 6 ounces of unsalted raw butter (or olive oil or flax oil) as the primary vehicle. The fat is the dominant component of this preparation.

This pairing with raw fat in culinary applications is consistent with Aajonus's broader teaching that spices are best delivered in a fat medium, which aids absorption and moderates any potentially harsh effects of the concentrated spice compounds.

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The only topical application documented for cloves is the dental numbing preparation described above. Aajonus applied the homemade clove water/juice/cream directly to his teeth to numb them. He described taking this "cream" and putting it on his teeth.

The application site is the teeth themselves, specifically in preparation for the drilling involved in amalgam removal. The preparation is applied to the tooth surface and surrounding gum tissue to create localized numbness.

Commercial clove oil is explicitly excluded from any topical application due to its non-raw status and its documented tissue-damaging effect (ruptured gums) in his personal experience.

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No specific quantity of whole cloves per batch is given for the water-soaking preparation. The soak time is approximately two weeks. The resulting juiced preparation is applied in sufficient quantity to numb the tooth surface. Timing of application: approximately four hours before the dental procedure.

Spicy African Paste (4 servings): The clove content is 1 whole clove for a recipe producing 4 servings. This translates to one-quarter of a whole clove per serving, an extremely modest quantity, consistent with Aajonus's teaching that spices are potent and should be used in moderate doses.

Spiced Butter or Oil (2 servings): The clove content is a pinch of freshly ground cloves for 6 ounces of butter or oil, a minimal quantity distributed across 2 servings.

The general warning Aajonus gave about spices applies: they are "potent, therapeutic and enjoyable in moderate doses but discomforting when over-consumed." He also noted that individuals can reach saturation points and need periods of avoidance from a given spice.

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Ingredients including clove: - 2 tomatoes - 6 tablespoons flax oil (one version) / stone-pressed olive oil (second version) - 3 tablespoons unsalted raw butter - 1 whole cardamon seed - ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds - ¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger root - ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds - 1 whole clove - ¼ inch cinnamon stick - ¼ teaspoon whole allspice - 1 slice fresh garlic clove - ½ teaspoon fresh red onions - 1 pinch paprika - 3 whole mixed peppercorns - 1 pinch grated nutmeg - ¼ fresh hot red pepper - 1 tablespoon unheated honey

Method: Blenderize cardamon, coriander, fenugreek, clove, cinnamon, allspice, and peppercorns together in a 4-ounce jar on high speed until they are flour. If a thicker sauce is desired, slice a deep and wide cut in the tomato, and over a bowl, gently squeeze the tomato to remove juice and seeds (drink tomato juice when thirsty). Blenderize all ingredients together in a 12- or 16-ounce jar on medium speed for 15 seconds. Let stand for at least 10 hours. Sauce will keep in refrigeration for at least 1 month.

Note: Two nearly identical versions of this recipe appear in the source material, one titled "Spicy African Paste for Fish" in the fish/seafood section, and one titled "Spicy African Paste" in the sauces section. The ingredient quantities are consistent between versions with minor labeling differences. The clove quantity (1 whole clove) is identical in both versions.

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Ingredients including clove: - 6 ounces unsalted raw butter, or olive oil, or flax oil - 1 slice garlic clove - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root - 1 pinch turmeric - 1 pinch freshly ground cardamon seed - 1 pinch freshly ground cloves - 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly ground - 1 teaspoon fresh red onion (optional)

Method: Warm butter in an 8-ounce jar, capped with blender washer/blades/base, immersed in a bowl of mildly hot water for 5 minutes. Blenderize all ingredients together on medium speed for 15 seconds. If using oil, there is no need to immerse in hot water before blenderizing. Alternative: Stir in onion after blenderizing all other ingredients together.

Note: The cloves here are specified as "freshly ground", not pre-ground commercial powder, consistent with Aajonus's emphasis on raw and fresh preparation.

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Aajonus documented that he had 16 amalgam fillings removed in 1978. All of the fillings on the bottom were removed in one four-hour morning session, and all of the fillings on top were removed in the next four-hour session. He reported that he had no pharmaceutical anesthetics, injections, or numbing agents of any conventional kind. The only preparation he used was his homemade clove water preparation applied to his teeth.

This account is presented in the context of explaining how to manage dental pain and procedures without conventional medicine, a recurrent theme in his dental discussions, where he consistently advocates for dental work done without pharmaceutical intervention where possible and describes his own experiences as demonstrations of what can be achieved when the body is supported through the primal diet and through natural preparations.

The commercial clove oil industry produces a product that, in Aajonus's direct experience, damaged his gum tissue (rupture). His rejection of the commercial product and development of an alternative is consistent with his broader pattern of documenting harm from processed versions of otherwise beneficial natural substances and offering homemade raw alternatives.

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