Fall is coming...time to get out the nutmeg!

In a few days we will have the coming of fall. Yep, a chill in the air and frost on its way. Well, for some. With the changes in the season, nutmeg and mace are the spices of the fall. These two unique spices are from plants that produce the nutmeg fruit. Mace is the lacy covering or aril that surrounds the seed. The nutmeg lies within the shell of the seed. Mace and nutmeg are native to the Moluccas, but are also cultivated in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the West Indies. The fruit ripens six to nine months after flowering, and is usually gathered with in falls to the ground. The outer husk is stripped off and the mace is removed, pressed flat and dried on mats. This process may take as little as two to four hours, during which time the mace retains its scarlet color. Once the mace has been removed, the seeds are dried on trays for four to six weeks until the nutmegs rattle in their outer shell. They are cracked open and the nutmegs removed, then graded according to size and quality. The sizes are graded by size as 80's or 100's and so on, according to the number in the pound. There are many uses for both of the unique spices. Southeast Asia, China and India, both spices are used sparingly. In India they are found mostly in Moghul dishes. The Arabs have long added nutmeg to mutton and lamb, but the Europeans have used nutmeg and mace most extensively in both sweet and savory dishes. The Italians enjoy nutmeg with mixed vegetable dishes, and veal. Nutmeg is widely used in honey cakes, rich fruit cake, fruit desserts, and fruit punch. Other uses of nutmeg is an ingredient in some soaps and shampoos. I personally like it as an ingredient in pumpkin bread or as a topping on a hot buttered rum drink. Fall is coming so enjoy the spice of the season. If you have a favorite use for nutmeg or mace, post it for others to enjoy.