Uses of Nutmeg
 The dry, shelled seed (nutmeg) and the dried
aril (mace) ground or whole, are used to flavor processed foods.
Domestic culinary use actually accounts for more of the major demand for
ground mace, where it is used to flavor meats, soups and stews. Ground
nutmeg is preferred in sweet dishes while ground mace is said to be more
suitable for savory dishes. It is also used to flavor milk. The nutmeg
is said to have astringent, carminative, stimulative and aphrodisiac
properties.
The essential oils are made up of
monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes and aromatic ethers of
myristicin, elemicin and safrole. The oils can be used as insecticides,
fungicides and bactericides.
The oil is used in flavoring food products,
liqueurs, soft drinks, perfumes (often men's perfume formulations) and
soaps. It is also used in pharmaceutical formulations to treat bronchial
problems. The important extracts of nutmeg and mace are the oleoresins
and these possess a truer flavor and odor than the essential oils.
The husk (pericarps) can be made into
sweetmeats, jellies, marmalades and sweets which are popular in
Southeast Asia.
In Thai dishes, powdered nutmeg is
recommended for curries to increase the flavor. Some recipes make the
distinction between nutmeg and mace.
The oils are volatile and the dried mace and
nutmeg should be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Botanical Description:
The tree grows to a height of between 5 to
13 meters tall. When cut, the bark exudes a sticky red sap. All the
parts of the plant are aromatic. The alternate, stalked leaves have
elliptical leaf blades which are smooth, thin and papery. The tree is
unisexual, whereby male and female flowers are found on separate trees.
The flowers are cup-shaped and small, and males have more flowers per
cluster. The fruit is fleshy and yellowish and resembles a large
apricot. It splits into two fleshy halves upon ripening to reveal a red
aril, a waxy mace networked around a stony hard dark brown seed. The
mace used in commerce is the dried aril and the nutmeg is dried kernel
of the seed. The mace is the more expensive of the two.
Happy Cooking,
Carol |
