Whole Nutmeg

This spice is made from the seeds of the nutmeg tree. Nutmeg spice is made by drying the seeds slowly in the sun and seeds shrink from their hard coats. A spice is ready when the kernels are rattling together in its shells. Although nutmeg and mace originate from the same tree, they differ in flavor. First the mace, the outer coating of the nutmeg seed is removed, while the nutmeg seed is sold as whole. Nutmeg is less spicy and sweeter than mace; mace is a little. Though they grow together, they are not often used together in a recipe.