Nutmeg

I know it’s not the most creative and exciting topic, but the letter N really stumped me, and nutmeg was my best choice. Besides baking, most people have no other use for nutmeg; but I am here to tell you otherwise.

Nutmeg is a pungent spice that serves as the flavor backbone for many recipes. It’s got that characteristic warmth that makes someone go, “Hmmm, what is that?” when they taste it in a finished dish. Nutmeg is my go-to ingredient when I want to add my own panache to whatever I am whipping up. While a scant amount does go into many of the sweets I bake, nutmeg is also sometimes an impromptu, secret ingredient I add to chili, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, or homemade pumpkin cream cheese. Many people claim their homemade bechamel is best with a hint of nutmeg swirling in the background. Yes, you can get quite creative with this little spice!

You may have seen ground nutmeg in spice jars at the grocery store; but, before the nutmeg is pulverized, it must come from a whole source. The nutmeg seed grows on trees in regions of tropical climates. The red, outer covering of the nutmeg seed, as seen in the picture on the right, is the source of another spice we commonly use today, called mace. Since the nutmeg is at the center of the seed, it can either be kept whole or ground up for commercial use, while mace must always be ground into a coarse powder. Although they come from the same plant, nutmeg and mace have slightly different flavors: nutmeg has a round, earthy, spicy sweetness; mace imparts a more delicate peppery taste. The two spices play off one another so well that they are commonly used together in many recipes for baked goods, like pumpkin bread, gingerbread, spice cake, or carrot cake.

I hope I’ve inspired you to try adding nutmeg to a few of your everyday recipes. Next time you make homemade marinara or meat sauce, add a dash of nutmeg. When you roast your Thanksgiving turkey, throw in a touch of nutmeg to your spice rub. Surprise your family with Sunday morning waffles speckled with flecks of freshly grated nutmeg. If it’s lasagna or baked ziti you’re in the mood for, sprinkle some nutmeg into your ricotta cheese mixture for an Italian meal you will never forget.