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The twin sister to nutmeg, mace
smells very much like it. That's because mace is actually
the red membrane that covers the nutmeg shell. Once it's removed
and dried, however, mace changes in color to yellowy-orange.
The dried mace is sold either in whole blades (harder to come
by) and ground (widely available).
Indonesia and Grenada are the world's main sources of mace
and nutmeg, although the nutmeg tree was native to the Banda
Islands. While nutmeg is most widely used in sweets, mace
is typically used in savory dishes. Mace is the distinct flavor
in béchamel sauce; you'll also find it in sausages,
pickles and chutneys, and with fish, shrimp, and egg dishes.
Ground mace is offered at supermarkets; store in a tightly-sealed
container.
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