Clever nut (Nutmeg)

Member Name: January

Product:	Nutmeg
Date:	17/12/05 (219 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tasty

Disadvantages: not for pregnant women

Nutmeg and mace

When I was little my grandmother used to make home made rice pudding and when it came out of the oven piping hot, there was always a lovely smell of a rich nutty scent coming from the steaming pot she would pull out of the oven, I used to love the skin off the top of the pudding as to me this tasted the best and as I got older I found out that the skin of the rice pudding contained grated nutmeg, which my grandmother used to flavour the pudding and now I use it myself on my own rice puddings.

Nutmeg is a kernel from an evergreen tree which grows in the regions of Indonesia, these are then exported to Europe and other parts of the world. Mace is the thin leathery tissue between the stone and the pulp. The trees can grow up to 65 feet in height and at the age of eight years they start to [produce the fruit.
The nutmeg is a bright red colour when it is picked and when it is dried the colour changes to a lovely amber colour. Nutmeg contains essential oils and can be pressed to extract oil of mace which can then be used as scent for soaps and other beauty products.

However there is another side to the nutmeg, as it contains Myristicin which if eaten in large quantities can cause convulsions and hallucinations, it can also cause vomiting and flushing, but this is only if eaten in huge doses. Nutmeg is usually used for the flavouring of puddings, eggnog, sausages and other foods.
It is also used as a herbal remedy and can be bought in capsule form at the health shop, a bottle of 30 capsules will cost you around £4 and these can be taken one or two times a day with food to help stop symptoms of flatulence, diarrhea and as a digestive aid.
Do not take these if you are pregnant or breast feeding and these are not suitable for anyone who suffers from depression or anxiety attacks.

I personally have not tried the capsules but have seen them on sale in the heath shop, I only use nutmeg and mace in cooking, grating a nutmeg into rice pudding can enhance the flavour.
Nutmeg can also be bought in little containers at the supermarket, it comes in powdered dried form for around £2 on the spice rack shelf of the supermarket, the shops own brand will be cheaper and just as good as a well known brand.
The nutmeg will store for months dried as long as you keep it away from heat or moisture. It can be used in dishes with cheese, broccoli, rice pudding, sausages and lots of other foods.

Here is a quick and easy recipe to try and taste the full flavour of this spice.

Peach Cobbler
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6 cups peeled sliced peaches
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3/4 cup unsalted butter or marg, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Filling: Mix peaches, sugar and ¼ cups of flour together and pour into a 15-inch baking dish.
Batter: Combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor. Mix to combine. Add the milk and melted butter. Mix until smooth. Spoon batter over the peaches, making sure you spread to edge of dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon over the top.
Bake in centre of oven about one hour. Crust should be brown and crisp on the outside Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Summary: great for cooking and herbal qualities