Fresh nutmeg vs ground nutmeg: does grating your own fresh really make a difference? Yes, definitely.
Grating a sweet, fresh nutmeg (technically a fruit from the Myristica fragrans tree) adds warmth and richness to pumpkin pie, spice cookies, eggnog, lattes and cream sauces alike.
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Because nutmeg is mainly a fall flavor, you're not going to use up a container or even an ounce of the spice before it goes stale.
And grinding fresh nutmeg however will amp up the flavor of your dish more than ground nutmeg you buy at the store.
Nutmeg is also essential for making your own pumpkin spice blend and making Pumpkin Spice Bars.
Fresh nutmeg is a key ingredient in Dutch spice cookies, also known as Speculaas cookies. But also its practically a requirement for pumpkin pie and holiday spice cake.
What Flavors Pair With Nutmeg?
Nutmeg is surprisingly versatile.
You can pair it with these foods but this is not an exhaustive list.
Also, my source for this information is one of my very cooking books: The Flavor Bible.
- Apples for baking
- Chowder
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chicken
- Chocolate
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Mushrooms
- Oranges
- Pears
- Pastas
And my favorite way to use nutmeg, besides in pie, is a just a pinch when I'm making mashed potatoes. They are so good.
Fresh Nutmeg Vs. Ground Nutmeg Tools
My favorite tool for grinding fresh nutmeg is a grater, which looks similar to a zester but it's cheaper and it won't make your fingers bleed as badly as a citrus zester will.
But you could also grate fresh nutmeg using a nut mill. I don't think these are as user friendly but try it out if you're not a fan of grating.
Or you could use a coffee grinder. I bought a cheap coffee grinder on clearance specifically to keep on hand for spice grinding.
Also, there's no need to grate more nutmeg than you need for a recipe.
How Do You Store Fresh Nutmeg?
Just put the remaining whole spice into a jar or another tightly sealed container. Store at room temperature.
A whole spice will last indefinitely if it's stored correctly.
Ground nutmeg supposedly lasts up to three years.
If you don't want to buy and grate your own whole spice, at least stay away from the bottles of ground nutmeg at the grocery store.
Go to your local food co-op or natural food store to buy just the amount you need and no more.
That way you're always using nutmeg that's as fresh as possible.
And you'll save money that way too.
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