Whole mace

This mace is from Sri Lanka and is used ground in hot dishes. Its aromas are lighter and more delicate than nutmeg. It will enhance foie gras with fleur de sel from l'île de Ré or meats such as lamb stew. It is also delicious with caramelized desserts or rice pudding.

Grind with a pestle and mortar and sprinkle over sticky chocolate cake with a warm caramel centre. Add it to dishes at the end of the cooking process.

Mace or "flower of nutmeg" comes from preserving the outer aril or tegument which surrounds the nutmeg, a thin orange coating. Mace is bright red when it is fresh then yellowy orange once it has dried in the sun for several days.