Nutmeg

Nutmeg is the kernel of an oval, brown seed produced by a large equatorial tree originating in the Moluccas. The seed is encased in a covering that, when sun-dried, becomes mace. Nutmeg is far more aromatic and sweet than mace and has an established role in most of Europe’s classic cuisines. It also appears in the food of India and Indonesia, and is used in Arabic food, particularly in meat and rice dishes. It is best to purchase whole nutmegs and grate them as required for the best results as ground nutmeg loses its flavour and aroma quickly. Although nutmeg has a long history (it has been found in Egyptian tombs), it was initially used in Europe for its intoxicating, soothing and hypnotic properties rather than for culinary purposes (it is a potent calmative drug-in fact, a narcotic, if taken in sufficient doses). The discovery of the Moluccas by Magellan in the sixteenth century changed all that, and the lucrative nutmeg market was opened up to the world. Available: widely.