Mace

Macis

What it is

The scarlet lace that wraps a nutmeg seed inside the fruit — one tree yields both spices, and mace is far scarcer because there is so little of it per nut. The Dutch fought a war for the Banda Islands over exactly this.

In the kitchen

It is nutmeg's more delicate sibling — use it where nutmeg would be too heavy, in a béchamel or a pale potted meat.

Goes with

Cream Butter Potato Nutmeg White pepper Spinach Chicken Comté

Same species

Nutmeg

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