Nutmeg

What is Nutmeg?

Nutmeg is a seed from a fruit, which has the color of a yellow pear, but the shape of a peach, that grows on a large evergreen tree native to the Moluccas Islands and the East Indian Archipelago. When the fruit is split open, the seed is covered by a stringy covering, like a net, known as the "nutmeg aril". Underneath the aril is a dark, shiny, hart pit. Inside the pit is an oval-shaped kernel or seed, known as "nutmeg". This seed is large, approximately 4 cm long and 2 cm wide, brown and oval in shape. Nutmeg seeds are dried in the shell and when the drying process is complete, it rattles in the pit. We offer both whole and ground Nutmeg.

Our Nutmeg contains 6% - 8% volatile oil; one of the components is myristicin and is considered the main flavor component of nutmeg. The higher the volatile oil content, the stronger the flavor. Lower grades of Nutmeg, especially ground nutmeg often will have no guarantees about volatile oil content. Buyers should be careful to inquire about the minimum guaranteed level of volatile oil when purchasing Nutmeg.

History:

Although not known for certain, it is believed that Pliny described nutmeg in the first century A.D. when he wrote about comacum, a tree with a fragrant nut and a perfume of two kinds. During the sixth century A.D., Arab traders began to import nutmeg from the East Indies to Constantinople. By the end of the twelfth century, nutmeg was well known throughout Europe. In fact, Great Britain poet Chaucer had written about nutmeg having been added to ale. (The combination of nutmeg in alcoholic drinks continues to this day.)

In 1512, Vasco da Gama had reached Moluccas and claimed it, along with its wealth of nutmeg, for Portugal. In 1602, the Portuguese were driven out of Moluccas when the Netherlands gained control of the East Indies. The Dutch attempted to create a monopoly on nutmeg, strictly controlling the area in which nutmeg trees could be grown, as well as the number of trees permitted. The Dutch would routinely burn large plantations of nutmeg to keep the supply low and the prices high, as they did with Cloves elsewhere in the Moluccas. Through the efforts of Captain Nathaniel Courthope, the British kept the small Island of Run (one of only 6 islands that grew nutmeg out of Dutch control for a period during the early 1600s.

The Dutch rule of nutmeg came to an end in 1796, when the British took over Moluccas and spread the cultivation of nutmeg to other Eastern Indian islands and then to the Caribbean islands, including Grenada, now known as the "Nutmeg Island".

Medicinal Uses:

In old medical books, nutmeg was used as a treatment for various ailments, including plague, liver and stomach problems, scarlet fever, and apoplexy for freckles and bad breath. Additionally, a small dose of nutmeg was used to help people sleep, whereas a large dose was used as a sedative for someone suffering convulsions. In modern time, it was confirmed that nutmeg does contains myristicin, a hallucinogenic; and if taken in large quantities, could be fatal. However, the amounts used in cooking, is safe. Today, nutmeg has no legitimate medicinal application. [Stuckey, M., The Complete Spice Book. St. Martin's Press, New York, NY, 1997.]

Commercial Uses:

Nutmeg is used in a wide variety of foods, such as sweet breads (such as Banana read), in fruit pies (such as Apple Pie), in all sorts of cakes and cookies , and of course in holiday eggnog. As it compliments cinnamon, nutmeg is often paired with it. Ground nutmeg is often sprinkled with ground cinnamon on cappuccino. Additionally, it is also used in processed meat industry, including flavoring meats and sausages. At low levels, nutmeg can also be used to improve the flavor of sauces.

Storage:

This product should be stored consistently in a cool, dark, ambient environment. Nutmeg should be protected from exposure to sunlight or other strong light, and the product should not be stored next to any strong smelling substance. The ideal storage temperature is 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The length of time Nutmeg is good is highly dependent upon the conditions in which it is stored, as well as whether whole or ground. Whole Nutmeg, when properly stored, is good for 18 to 24 months. Whereas ground Nutmeg, if properly stored, is good for 6 to 9 months.

• Ground Nutmeg is packed in 50 lb net weight cartons. Whole Nutmeg is packed in 55 lb net weight sacks.
• Product is available in our New Jersey warehouse. Please contact us for price quotes on an Ex-warehouse or Delivered basis.