Freshly Grated Nutmeg

 

I am a huge fan of freshly grated Nutmeg! Given my blog name perhaps you have already figured that out! I was wondering around a kitchen supply store maybe eight or ten years ago when I spotted the cutest little hand held grater that had storage in the top of it and it came with a little bag of nutmeg. This was new to me, I didn’t know you could grate your own nutmeg. I thought the only way it came was ground in the little spice containers a the grocery store! I know what you are thinking, wow she has lived a sheltered life! Out of curiosity I bought it and thus began my fondness for freshly ground nutmeg. The nutmeg is the inside part (the kernel) of a yellow fruit from the nutmeg tree. The ripened fruit splits open to reveal a hard nutmeg. This nutmeg is dried for culinary usage. Mace is the inner case of the nutmeg and Mace has a more delicate taste than nutmeg.

Most cooks these days own a microplane and it works well for nutmeg. I just happen to like my little nutmeg grater with it’s little hinged lid! What can I say, I adore kitchen gadgets! The aroma when you grate nutmeg is divine and the taste is spicy, nutty and spectacular! Once you taste it like this you won’t go back to the kind that is pre – ground in the little containers. 

Nutmeg goes well with both savory and sweet dishes. Sweets are enhanced by a little freshly grated nutmeg prior to serving. Of course what would vegan pumpkin pudding be like with out nutmeg? Use it in savory dishes like vegan quiche or steamed greens, pumpkin soup, winter squash, chard, kale and some curry dishes. A warm or cold sweet potato is lovely as a dessert when dusted with a little ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Fruit and nutmeg are a perfect match. Try freshly grated nutmeg and you will love it!