Myristica fragrans

A bushy, evergreen tree native to Indonesia's Banda Islands, often referred to as the Spice Islands, produces fruits that yield two different spices, nutmeg and mace.

In the 6th century, both spices were part of Alexandria's caravan trade, and they were most likely brought to Europe by the Crusaders. Their earliest use in China, India, the Arabian Peninsula and Europe was for medicinal purposes.

When the Portuguese started trading directly from the island, nutmeg gained importance as a spice, and by the end of the 18th century, a real craze was created in England.

Today, the biggest exporters of nutmeg are Guatemala, Indonesia and India, while Grenada, once a very strong exporter, is only in 8th place. Grenada has a nutmeg also on its flag.

FLAVOR

Nutmeg and mace have a similar rich, fresh and warm aroma. Nutmeg smells sweet, but it is more camphorous and piney than mace. The taste of both spices is warm and highly aromatic, but nutmeg has hints of cloves and a bittersweet woody taste.

USED ARE the kernel of the seed and the flower that envelops the seed (the flower is known as macis).

PURCHASE AND STORAGE

Nutmeg is best bought whole. In a well-closed container, it can stand almost indefinitely, and it is easy to grind or grate it. Once ground, it loses its flavor quite quickly.

The nutmegs and mace of Banda and Penang are considered of much higher quality than those of West India, and their quality, apart from taste, is determined by the size of the kernel. Bigger ones are more valuable.

USE IN COOKING

In India, nutmeg is used more than mace, primarily because of the high price of mace; both spices are used sparingly, mostly in Moghul dishes.

Arabs have long used both spices in delicately flavored mutton and lamb dishes. In North Africa, they can be found in spice mixes such as Tunisian galat, dagga and Moroccan ras el hanout. Europeans also widely use nutmeg and mace in both sweet and spicy dishes.

Nutmeg is widely used in honey cookies, rich fruit cakes, fruit desserts and punches. It is good in combinations and in most dishes with eggs and cheese.

The Dutch generously put nutmeg in white cabbage, cauliflower, in vegetable purees, meats and fruit puddings; Italians prefer to put smaller amounts in dishes made of mixed vegetables, spinach, veal and in fillings or sauces for pasta.

In France, along with black pepper and cloves, it is used in casseroles and ragouts. Half-ripe nutmeg, pierced all over (same as with half-ripe walnuts) and soaked before being boiled twice in syrup, was a popular sweet in Malaysia a long time ago.

IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR dessert spices, quatre epices, ras el hanout, Tunisian 5 spice mix.

GOOD WITH cabbage, carrots, cheese and cheese dishes, chicken, eggs, thick fish or seafood soups, lamb, dairy dishes, onions, potatoes, pumpkin pie, spinach, sweet potatoes, veal

COMBINED WELL WITH cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, ginger, mace, pepper, rosebuds, thyme.