This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
What do you think of when I say “mace”? Are you like me and automatically think of a self-defense spray? Well much to my surprise and delight, when I was at a spice shop several years back I learned otherwise. I saw the beautiful whole spice called mace, got very curious, took a whiff, and was immediately reminded of nutmeg. And then I learned more…
Nutmeg and mace come from the same place. They are basically siblings coming from an evergreen tree throughout Asia. That’s right, baby — sister, sister! On this tree lies some fruit (and one lucky day, I hope to taste it!), and within this fruit, you’ll find a seed. That is a nutmeg seed! Surrounding the nutmeg is a seed covering, also called an aril. And that aril is mace! For context, you know when you have a pomegranate and you pick out the little red arils to eat? That is the same idea! Except the arils in a pomegranate have a teeny, tiny seed in them (we usually just crunch up and eat those). So in a way, mace is to nutmeg as the burst of juice in a pomegranate is to its itty bitty seed.
Nutmeg
Fun fact: Nutmeg is the national symbol of Grenada and is also featured in their national flag! Isn’t that so sweet (and spicy)??
Nutmeg is the spice many of us are most familiar with when it comes to baking. It’s usually found in its preground form, a brown powder in a little spice jar. It has a warming, sweet, nutty/woody flavor and is the subtle flavor you’ll get a hint of in cake donuts, eggnog, and bechamel sauces.
Mace
Let’s start with addressing the spicy elephant in the room. Mace is not used in the defensive pepper spray! It was a legitimate question I had initially when I discovered mace, but now that we’ve answered that burning question, let’s move on.
Mace has a very similar flavor profile to nutmeg, but it’s a bit spicier and intense. After the aril of the nutmeg seed is dried, it’s then referred to as a blade of mace. From these blades, comes ground mace which is an orangey-brown color. Mace is less abundant than nutmeg, so it may be harder to come by, but if and when you do — you’ll know what it is and be a little more versed in whether you want to snag a little for your kitchen creations. You can use mace in a lot of the same applications you would with nutmeg to pack a more potent punch of flavor!
Ground vs Whole
Of course, you can get both nutmeg and mace already ground. But as with all spices, for the very best flavor start with the whole spice. With nutmeg, I often just grate it straight into the dishes I’m using it for. For mace, it’s best to dry roast it for the natural oils to begin releasing. Once cooled, you can use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) for a bigger batch.
When you use either spice, make sure to not overdo it, because too much of a good thing isn’t always that great! No matter what form you obtain for your nutmeg and mace, these two are going to lend some serious flavor to your world!
