What Is Mace?

Mace, often considered nutmeg's lesser-known counterpart, is derived from the same fruit of the nutmeg tree. Both spices come from ‘Myristica frangrans,’ a tree found in regions like Indonesia, parts of the Caribbean, and Grenada.

Nutmeg is the seed inside the fruit, while the mace refers to the delicate, reddish web-like membrane that surrounds the seed.

Mace can be used whole or ground into a fine powder. Its vibrant red color fades to a golden-brown once dried. The shade of mace can indicate its origin: bright red or orange hues often point to Indonesia, while a yellow-orange tint is more common in mace from Grenada.

Mace shares a similar aroma and flavor with nutmeg, though with subtle differences. It has a mild, nutty fragrance and a warm, sweet taste with a slight peppery bitterness, offering a unique blend of cinnamon and a hint of black pepper.

What Is Mace?

Mace is the fragrant, waxy membrane that envelops the seed of the nutmeg. This lacy covering is referred to as the 'aril,' and inside it lies the hard, single seed of the nutmeg fruit.

Mace is often called nutmeg's 'sister spice' due to their close connection, as both spices come from the same nutmeg tree. In fact, the nutmeg tree is unique in that it produces two different spices from a single plant.

While mace shares a similar taste to nutmeg, it is less sweet and has a sharper, slightly bitter finish. It also has a more pronounced peppery kick, with subtle hints of pine, coriander, and citrus notes.

What Does Mace Taste Like?

Mace has a gentle, sweet flavor with notes of citrus, cinnamon, and pepper. It is commonly used in baking, particularly in cakes and pastries. It also pairs well with savory dishes, enhancing meats, fish, vegetables, soups, and casseroles.

Whole mace blades can be added to slow-cooked dishes, such as soups and stews, where they release their flavor gradually, similar to a bay leaf. The aril can be cracked open to infuse rice dishes or stocks with its fragrance. Mace is also a key ingredient in pickling brines for vegetables like cucumbers and beets.

How to Cook With Mace

Mace can be used directly from the jar, often added to dry spice blends or dry rubs for meats. In sweet dishes, it is typically mixed into pastries, pies, and cookies. It is sometimes sprinkled on top of custards or puddings and may also be dusted onto beverages, much like nutmeg. Whole blades of mace can be ground using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.

Mace is a beloved spice in Northern European cooking, adding complexity to dishes such as English pork pies, Swedish meatballs, and desserts like pumpkin pie, rhubarb cakes, and crumbles.

In India, mace is a popular ingredient in curry and chutney recipes. The blades are often toasted in a dry pan with spices like cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. The toasted spices are then ground into a paste along with fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric using a mortar and pestle.

Mace adds a delightful touch to sweet treats like pies, berry cobblers, and hot drinks. It also enhances savory dishes such as curry, meatballs, and homemade barbecue rubs. Mace pairs beautifully with allspice, ginger, cloves, saffron, cumin, coriander, caraway, and fennel. It's often used in lamb, veal, pork, and steak dishes, particularly when served with apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, or squash.

Mace Recipes to Try:

• Panang Curry Paste
• She Crab Soup
• Sixteenth Century Orange Chicken
• Squash and Apple Bake
• Applesauce Doughnuts with Buttermilk
• Lemon Bubble Bread
• Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Mace Substitutions

If you're out of mace, you can substitute it with a blend of allspice, cinnamon, and ginger, or even use pumpkin pie spice as an alternative.

How to Store Mace

For optimal freshness, ground mace should be used within a year of purchase, and ideally, consumed within 6 to 8 months.

Store mace in its original packaging or transfer it to an airtight container of your choice. Whole blades should also be kept in an airtight container and freshly ground as needed with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Both ground and whole mace should be kept in a cool, dry spot, away from direct light and heat to maintain their flavor and potency.