Nutmeg has been known in the West for a long
time. Nutmeg is a real favourite of mine. It has a subtle warm flavour and a lovely
smell. Nutmeg comes from the same tree
as mace. It is a little sweeter than
mace.
A classic childhood
memory for me is of custard tarts with ground nutmeg on top.
In medieval times it was
believed that nutmeg could ward off the plague! Nutmeg oil was also used as a
cure for insomnia.
In olden days nutmeg
graters were made out of silver and worn like a necklace.
Nutmeg is used in sweet
puddings, custards and cakes but I use it mostly in savoury dishes – pumpkin,
lamb casseroles and especially on spinach or silverbeet.
The English use nutmeg
in Christmas cakes. It can be used in
banana bread, doughnuts, cookies, pumpkin pies and chocolate dishes.
Try grating nutmeg over vanilla
ice cream. Also try adding it to mashed
potatoes. And with carrots. Nutmeg goes
particularly well with parmesan. Try adding some nutmeg into soups made from
split peas.
Don't buy ground nutmeg
– get the whole ones and grate them yourself as required on a microplane.
Important: Don't use more than half a nutmeg at a time –
it becomes toxic if you eat it in large quantities – some say just 2 whole
nutmegs will make you very sick – not something I want to try out!
My Recipes using nutmeg
– chopped
spinach, fruit
punch, yellow
curry of pork, stuffed
pumpkin, savoury
pumpkin & rhubarb pie
BIBLIOGRAPHY - with thanks to Auckland Libraries
Cook's Encyclopaedia of Spices by
Sallie Morris & Lesley Mackley
Discovering Vegetables, Herbs &
Spices by Susanna Lyle
Spice Market by Jane Lawson
Spicery by Ian & Elizabeth Hemphill
Spices & Natural Flavourings by
Jennifer Mulherin
Spices by Sophie Grigson
Spices Condiments and Seasonings by
Kenneth T Farrell
Spices, Salt and Aromatics in the
English Kitchen by Elizabeth David
The Cook's Companion by Stephanie
Alexander
I love nutmeg, too!!! I use it in candied carrots - cooked with brown sugar and butter and NUTMEG!!
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