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Ok, I'm trying to educate my palate to understand the nuances of different herbs and spices. My question is simple.....what's the difference between Mace & Nutmeg?

To my, under-educated palate, they smell and taste the same . What am i missing? Or is my tongue just plain dumb?

Please O-Wise-People from the ages gone....educate me.

Oh. i should add that I'm sampling powdered Mace & Nutmeg that you buy at Walmart. Maybe that's the problem?

Mase is like nutmeg on steroids....flavor wise....to me anyways.

Dingo wrote:
Oh. i should add that I'm sampling powdered Mace & Nutmeg that you buy at Walmart. Maybe that's the problem?

And therein lies your problem

Spices and herbs (for the best results -- IMHO) should be kept in a 'cool - dark place'

Nutmeg tends to be on the sweet side where are mace has a sharp edge (heat?) to it -- yes there are differences

Note the container below

Always buy your nutmegs whole from a trusted source and use freshly grated/shaved nutmeg. You can get mace blades, but they are very hard to work with. Ground mace, in small quantities from a quality supplier - you never need much at a time, and it will oxidize, so don't get lots at a time, unless you can store it vacuum-packed in a cool, dark place. Mace has a little bit more floral nose, but a sharper bite. Nutmeg is a little more woodsy - almost evergreen - with a pleasant, sweet finish. I get mine from Monterey Herb & Spice Co. or Penzey's.

Awesome!. Thanks lads. Just what I'm looking for..

I'll try and find a better source for freshness, however options are limited down here in SW Nowhere.

Anybody no of a good online supplier maybe?

Like Tom mentioned above, I can recommend Penzys, I've used them before with no complaints.

Both of the places I suggested are on-line sources, and shipping isn't outrageous. Both move tons of product, so what you get hasn't been sitting around in a warehouse forever.

Monterey Bay Spice Co. - smallest amounts you can generally order are 1/4 lb packs, but then, marjoram costs me $42/lb at retail, here, and I can get certified organic marjoram for $8/lb, or coriander for $3/lb through Monterey.

Penzey's Spices - a little more expensive, but you can buy in smaller quantities. Their house blend ground cinnamon is an amazing blend of 5 kinds and actually stands up to everything else in sausage. Online and retail stores. 6 stores in Colorado, but all are on the I-25 corridor - Colorado Springs, Littleton, Denver, Boulder.

Mace = hotdog

Nutmeg = pumpkin pie

Allspice = Jamaican jerk

Mace/nutmeg are off the same plant and are pretty similar. IMHO the primary difference isn't so much in flavour but in aroma -- kind of like a truffle.

As others have said, grate nutmeg as you need it.

For mace, I'd buy the blades then grind them as needed. A small coffee grinder is perfect and grinds in seconds. Well worth $30 or so. I find whole spices keep much longer than ground.