[food geekery] Mace and nutmeg

[alysten]

Nutmeg is the actual seed of the tree, roughly egg-shaped and dried. Mace is the dried "lacy" reddish covering or arillus of the seed. This is the only tropical fruit that is the source of two different spices.

The mace is removed from the shell and its broken parts are known as blades.Because the yield of mace is much less than nutmeg, it has had greater value. A pile of fruit large enough to make one hundred pounds of nutmeg produces a single pound of mace. While Nutmeg and Mace are related, they are 2 different spices. Mace has a stronger flavor and is preferred in medieval English cooking. Nutmeg was preferred in French cooking. Arabic and Asian cultures used the spices equally.

Personally I love the smell of mace over nutmeg. Sweet, pungent, spicy (not heat, but bite) all at the same time. I bought some mace blades at Pennsic, 4 precious ounces, and have fallen in love all over again. I have not been this excited about a spice since I put cardamon in the baklava. I am working on building my regional spice libraries. While there are commonalities across cultures, everyone has a different spin on things. Herbs are next on the research hit list.

Comments

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

There is a great book on the spice trade, called "Spice: The History of a Temptation" and written by Jack Turner. I really enjoyed the narrative style, as well as the information it provided. I am looking forward to cracking "True History of Chocolate" by Sophie D. Coe once I get through with the current foodie-reading I am in the midst of.

From "Spice" (and yes, I am revealing the fact that I am still only touching the surface of food research by saying this) I was surprised to learn that mace/nutmeg and clove were exclusive to a couple of small islands of the East coast of Asia. All that spice that flowed through the East to Europe, from only a couple of islands? No WONDER it was such a pricey item!