Mixed Spice

In the same way most Americans have “chili powder” in their cabinets (in Ireland, chile powder is merely ground chiles, not a blend meant for chili con carne), most Irish people have a container of “mixed spice” in theirs. It’s a blend of warm spices and it’s used so often in baking that most Irish recipes, such as for Christmas cake or pudding, merely call for such-and-such amount “mixed spice.” It’s kind of like Apple Pie Spice, but the blend is different, with a dominant scent of nutmeg