Mace

Mace comes from the bright, lacy outer aril that surrounds the nutmeg seed of the Myristica fragrans tree. Once dried, these thin, amber-orange strips develop a warm, sweet, and slightly spicy aroma similar to nutmeg, but lighter, more floral, and more refined.

Whole blades hold their aroma far longer than ground mace. The flavour is like nutmeg with the volume turned down and the perfume turned up: delicately floral, faintly citrusy and warmly sweet, with a gentle peppery finish. It is also known as javitri in Hindi and Urdu, and as nutmeg aril or nutmeg flower.

Mace is valued in both sweet and savory cooking. It's commonly used in baking, custards, puddings, and spice blends, and adds a smooth warmth to soups, sauces, stews, and meat dishes. Its balanced flavor makes it a versatile choice for dishes that benefit from gentle spice without overpowering heat.

Its essential oil is sometimes used in aromatherapy for its warm, comforting fragrance.

How to use it

Add one or two blades to a pot of biryani, pulao, a milk pudding or mulled cider and lift them out before serving. For baking, crush a blade to a fine powder in a mortar and use about half a teaspoon in a pound cake, doughnut batter or custard. It suits cream sauces, pâtés, sausages and pickling brines, and it appears in some garam masala blends. Technique tip: toast the blades dry in a pan for thirty seconds before grinding to wake up the aroma, and grind only what you need since ground mace fades fast.

Botanical Name: Myristica fragrans
Also known as: Nutmeg Aril, Javitri, Macis, Muskatblüte, Fleur de Muscade, Noz Moscada, めえす, جوزة الطيب, 肉豆薃花