Nutmeg is the traditional garnish for eggnog.
Native to Indonesia, the nutmeg spice has the appearance of a small, round pod. There are two parts to this pod--the mace, which is the shell, and the nutmeg itself, which is the nut inside. Popular with gourmets and home cooks alike, nutmeg is readily available in ground form at supermarkets, and in whole form at certain supermarkets and specialty stores.
Cooking
Surprisingly versatile, nutmeg is regularly found in both sweet and savory dishes. Uses of nutmeg vary depending on the ethnicity of the foods. In Indian cooking, the spice is used to flavor desserts, while in European cooking, nutmeg is used to flavor potatoes and meats. There are dishes beyond these that can be enhanced by nutmeg, however; any recipe that requires a warm spicy flavor is a candidate. Spinach and b chamel sauce are popular savory dishes that incorporate the spice.
Baking and the Holidays
Nutmeg pairs well with ginger, cinnamon and cloves, and is used along with these spices as an ingredient in pumpkin and apple pies. Beyond pies, most desserts that feature pumpkin or cooked apple are enhanced by nutmeg, from pumpkin bread to apple cobbler. Nutmeg is often found in baked custards and puddings. It's also regularly used as a garnish for holiday drinks, most commonly sprinkled on top of eggnog.
Medicinal
In addition to use in cooking and baking, according to holistic practitioners nutmeg has an array of medicinal properties. Digestive health can be enhanced by nutmeg, for example; it's believed to relieve stomach upset, nausea and intestinal gas. Nutmeg is also used as a topical pain reliever, specifically for tooth pain and mouth sores. The spice can be used topically to relieve arthritis pain as well.
Nutmeg Oil
Nutmeg essential oil is a common ingredient in commercial pharmaceutical items including toothpaste, cosmetics and cough syrup. The oil is made from nutmeg pods that have been eaten by worms. The worms are only interested in eating the starchy and fatty parts of the nutmeg seed and leave the parts that are denser in oil content. Nutmeg oil is also sold commercially for its fragrance and medicinal properties.
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