Mace, Ground

If you crack open the fruit that the nutmeg kernel grows in, you’ll find around that kernel a lacy, apricot-colored webbing called the aril. This is the second spice to nutmeg that we call mace. This spice was vastly important in European trade routes, particularly that of the Dutch. While it can grow in India and parts of Asia, nearly half of the world’s crop is grown on the tiny, island commonwealth country of Grenada.

Mace is the sophisticated older sister to nutmeg. It has a sprightly, warm flavor reminiscent of nutmeg, but you’ll notice that it’s significantly stronger. The delicate aril also boasts potent citric, clove, and floral aromas that permeate a dish and have all the subtlety of a kick to the shin. The sweetness finishes with a strong bitter note that rings in your mouth for a while, so mace is best tempered with other spices and a bit of sugar.

Cooking with Ground Mace

Mace like nutmeg is used to flavor cakes and other sweets, but mace is also used in many savory dishes. These include meats, sauces, curries, pickling, ketchup, and even Worcestershire sauce. Mace enjoys being used in high fat foods. Mornay sauces, hot chocolate, soufflés, and puddings all benefit from mace’s unique flavor profile.

Mace can be used as a nutmeg substitute in most recipes. This spice is sweeter and milder, but has a similar flavor to nutmeg. Mace is often used in place of nutmeg when dark colored flecks of nutmeg might ruin the appearance of certain dishes. Ground mace can be substituted in light colored sauces, clear broths, omelets, and mashed potatoes. Our Mace powder is ground from whole mace spice to release its essential oils, flavor, & aroma. Mace should be added at the begin of the cooking process to allow its full flavor to come out.

Mace (Nutmeg) Tree

Mace is produced by the Myristica franrans, a member of the mayriticaceae family. This plant, native to Indonesia, grows into a tropical evergreen tree of up to 30 feet tall. This same tree produces the better known nutmeg spice.

The seed of this tree, which we know as nutmeg, is encased in several edible layers. The outermost is a small, golden colored fruit with reddish spots. The next layer is a red, web like, seed membrane called an aril, which is sold as the spice mace. The mace aril encapsulates the endosperm, or nutmeg seed.

Fresh nutmeg mace has a bright red color which, turning dark-orange to brown when dried.

The leave of these trees are long dark green, and oblong. Its small white flowers form in clusters at the ends of the branches.