Nutmeg and Mace

Here are some of the nutmegs that I brought back from Grenada. Notice the lacy red outer coating? Well, that's mace, a very different and fragrant spice.

At the spice market in Grenanda:

Here they are in my kitchen:

Fortunately for Grenada today, nutmeg is an important commodity. Here's a little history about nutmeg and the other spice that the tree produces, mace.

Many centuries ago, the precious nutmeg was often carried in fancy containers of silver or wood, having a little grater attached, so the spice could always be on hand. Nutmeg is one of the oldest spices known. In the first century A.D., the Roman writer Pliny described a tree bearing a nut having two separate flavors. Nutmeg is one flavor and mace is the other, made from grinding the lacy outer covering surrounding the nutmeg. The nutmeg tree is an evergreen native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands, near Indonesia. Quite interestingly, the Dutch East Indies Company controlled nutmeg production for hundreds of years and coveted this spice so much that even the location of the Spice Islands was kept a secret.

Nutmeg has a warm flavor that naturally complements cream sauces and cheese dishes. It tastes wonderful on fruit, vegetables, in custards, barbecue sauces, and on top of cappuccino. When using nutmeg, try to add it toward the end of cooking, as heat greatly diminishes its flavor. And to fully appreciate the appeal of nutmeg, always grind it fresh. Don't be lazy—you can get a half a teaspoon of fabulous, fragrant nutmeg in just a few seconds using a small handheld grater. Just sniff it; you'll see.

Comments

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
Thanks for the pictures & history of the nutmeg.
What interesting outer shells they have!
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Kathy]

Martha,
Those mace-covered shells of nutmeg are interesting---and beautiful in your photographs.
I started using freshly ground nutmeg after I traveled to Thailand and found some from Indonesia in a wonderful market. It makes such a difference to grind it fresh. The flavor and aroma are, as you say, fabulous.
Kathy

[Trish]

It was just the other day when I happened to learn about nutmeg and mace from looking at your starter list of spices and herbs, which of course included mace and nutmeg. You referred to the outer coating or mace as "mace blades" and suggested using it in creamed spinach and apple pie after crushing or grinding it. Your fine pictures say so much more though; I think I will call them two-for-one nuts, (mace and nutmeg) although they look like cherry covered chocolates. Now about those spiny lobsters; how did Pierre prepare them? Trish

[Margie]

The pictures are great. Learning the history of foods is quite fascinating and with pictures in color just that much more intriguing. Knowledge of food shall always be important. Thank you again.

[Sandi Henderson]

Ok, here's the thing, I have never been able to find a whole nutmeg anywhere! Suggestions?

Sandi

[Grace]

I have never seen nutmeg right out of it's shell like this. how wonderful and interesting it looks. I've been using whole nutmeg for about 4 years now. It really does make a difference. Do you ever use the mace as strands like you do with saffron or must it be ground? Thanks for showing us this interesting spice.

Grace

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, What a facinating blog! I have never seen a complete nutmeg before. I imagine you could buy them in specialty spice shops or possibly a natural food center. I found packages of nutmegs in upscale grocery stores like QFC in my area. Now I need to find the beautiful nutmegs in your gorgeous pictures. Thanks again for sharing. Jan

[Dan]

Very informative! Thank you Martha!

Dan F.

[Jeanne Z from Shelton, Ct.]

I think it's quite interesting at how much you like nutmeg in many dishes, but particularly curious as to why you haven't mentioned that Connecticut is also referred to as 'The Nutmeg State' in addition to being 'The Constitution State'. Here's the history of this;

"The sobriquet, the Nutmeg State, is applied to Connecticut because its early inhabitants had the reputation of being so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell wooden nutmegs. Sam Slick (Judge Halliburton) seems to be the originator of this story. Some claim that wooden nutmegs were actually sold, but they do not give either the time or the place."

Yankee peddlers from Connecticut sold nutmegs, and an alternative story is that:

"Unknowing buyers may have failed to grate nutmegs, thinking they had to be cracked like a walnut. Nutmegs are wood, and bounce when struck. If southern customers did not grate them, they may very well have accused the Yankees of selling useless "wooden" nutmegs, unaware that they wear down to a pungent powder to season pies and breads." Elizabeth Abbe, Librarian, the Connecticut Historical Society; Connecticut Magazine, April 1980.

I hope you enjoy this information about 'The Nutmeg State'.

Regards
Jeanne Z

[Beki]

Those are such beautiful pictures!!

[Georgia from Alabama]

So glad to learn a little history of nutmeg & mace. I have been grating my own nutmeg for years and using it in all sorts of dishes. I have a great pound cake recipe (Bishop's Cake) which uses only butter, sugar, flour, eggs & mace. Is it possible to get mace in form that one could grind it fresh just before using it?

[Barbara]

Dear Martha,
I enjoyed your show today, which promted me to read your blog on nutmeg.
I have used nuteg ever since I can remember, about 30 years ago I found a little bottle of who nutmeg with a little grater to use with them. I used it for years.

[Linda Casale]

Dear Martha, Loved your special on nutmeg & mace. I just got back from a cruise and bought both in Tortola,British Virgin Islands. I never knew mace was the outside the nutmeg,thanks. Thanks for the many uses of nutmeg. Love the show. Linda

[Tammy]

I was wondering if you grate only the outermost part of the nutmeg (like zesting a lemon) or if you can grate until it is too small to grate?

[maria]

Hi Martha,
I love fresh nutmeg. You can grate it on a ceramic ginger grater or even on a small-holed cheese grater.
Nutmeg can be found in Sicilian cooking also. It complements spinach well. I always use just a little in spinach quiche or spinach lasagna filling. The whole nutmegs keep a long in a tightly closed bottle.
Maria in New Rochelle

[jessica]

love how the nutmeg looks covered in mace

come visit my craft blog sometime :)

[Alcea Alba]

Martha, I was lucky enough to be the recipient of a bag of whole nutmegs, with their mace filaments intact, purchased in India and gifted to me by a former colleague. That was probably one of my favorite gifts I've ever received. I'd love to purchase a Georgian silver nutmeg grater one day. There are many interesting shapes available. Such fascinating little things! I would advise fellow nutmeg fans to purchase their spices at Indian markets, if there are any situated in their locality. These markets are always the best places to buy spices in bulk. Just last week, I purchased a great quantity of fragrant black peppercorns for just $5. Many thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.

[anne]

I wanted to show you my Martha Stewart tribute. You are an inspiration to us all!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/annieoakleaves/2107153425/

[Heidi Reimer-Epp]

This is so cool. I was fascinated by the nutmeg surrounded by the lacy mace coating. I had no idea where the two spices came from; I just ignorantly grab a bottle from my spice rack as needed. It's great to actually understand where our food comes from, and this blog gave me a little bit of insight this evening. Thanks!

[Jennifer Meyer]

Hi Martha,
I watch your show today and heard you mention your Blog. Wanted to pay you a visit and read the story on nutmeg. I have never seen nutmeg like this... LOVE the interesting story behind this wonderful spice.

So glad to hear you Blog, this is my first time here... I am adding you to my wonderful Blog roll so I can visit more often.

I watch your show everyday and and LOVE everything you create. You are so creative and a huge inspiration to me and my life. Thank you for that!

Sincerely,
Jennifer :)

[Della L-San Diego]

What does mace taste like? I've never heard of it before. I'd like to know what kind of recipes to use it in. I did try nutmeg in my home made mac & cheese instead of mustard and it was wonderful!

[alexa elsorady]

Dear Martha,
I have been enjoying your show & maggies for several yrs. This blog about mace & nutmeg is VERY nice! I want to thank you for providing such intelligent & informative background on all the subjects you cover, as well as doing such good demonstrations of everything! (I was a high school teacher for over 35 yrs., giving me some cache as a judge of such things. It isn't easy to inform, entertain & keep one's wits together at the same time.) I also want to thank you for helping inspire me as I recovered two yrs. ago from breast cancer surgery, radiation & chemotherapy about all the "good things" I wanted to do after I recovered! Keep up the great shows in 2008! I am looking forward to them. Sincerely, Alexa

[Lisa Mainord]

Hi Martha,

This blog was quite sentimenal to me because my husband went to medical school in Grenada in 2001.Did you have a chance to see the University? The campus lies on the penisula. The site is amazing! It was an unbelieveable experience to live there for 2 years. As you know it is full of beauty, culture, and history. I came to love and appreciate the people there. I too went to 'The Market' for fresh fruits, vegetables, and also purchased some nutmeg. I took several tours with some friends around the island and saw the nutmeg trees and gathered as many as I could from the ground. There was so much to do for our family and most things were free or very reasonable for us to do. I'm glad you visited Grenada.
p.s. we also lived on the island of St. Vincent for 4 months. Also, a wonderful place.

[Janet]

MArtha, I love reading your blog. I have always been a follower of yours and have been called the Martha Stewart of Charleston. I love just about all the topics on your show and tape them everyday. I'm going to have to install more memory on my DDR to record all of them. I think it would be great if you put together a boxed set of DVD's of your favorite shows. I will definately want one! Thanks for all that you do in making your show the BEST on Television!

Warm Regards Janet

[Cosmos]

I was born in Grenada but now resides in the US. I am very pleased that you like nutmeg. Indeed, it it a wonderful flavor. I hope that you had an opportunity to sample nutmeg syrup which is made from the pericap of the fruit. It is great with pan cakes, fruit salad, rum punch or any recipe requiring a syrup.