I love sharing important news like this with you. I had no idea of the complexity of nutmeg. I'm going to get a new bottle (I've been using the same one for about six years and treat it with more respect.)
"Nutmeg is used in Arabic and Indian folk medicine today, but its use as an herbal remedy in Europe is long forgotten. Use as a medicine never seems to have caught on in the United States, with the exception of its use as an abortifacient in the nineteenth century.
This use offered the West its first glimpses into the narcotic properties of nutmeg, as a number of young women became delirious after using large quantities of nutmeg to induce miscarriages.
It may have been these turn-of-the-century reports that led to the use of nutmeg in American prisons by the 1940s or earlier.
One little-known application of nutmeg is its traditional use as an aphrodisiac. In India, nutmeg has been added to curry dishes and also to betel quids for its aphrodisiac effect."
When a human being eats nutmeg it opens his heart, and his sense is pure, and it puts him in a good state of mind. Take nutmeg and (in the same amount) cinnamon and some cloves and grind them up. And then, from this powder and some water, make flour -and roll out some little tarts. Eat these often and it will lower the bitterness of your heart and your mind and open your heart and your numbed senses. It will make your spirit happy, purify and cleanse your mind, lower all bad fluids in you, give your blood a good tonic, and make you strong.
From a writer in the 12th century
9 comments:
The history of nutmeg is fascinating, I thoroughly recommend a book by Giles Milton called Nathanial's Nutmeg it's the story of how the English and the Dutch fought over a tiny island called "Run" in the east Indies for its treasure of Nutmeg in the 17th century. In those days a single ship could make a man his fortune, but getting there and back alive was like getting to the moon. The twist at the end is wonderful, this little nut changed the course of history.
Gosh Steve, I can't believe you are a Nutmeg Expert too. I'm going to get that book and see if I can talk my book club into reading it.
Thanks for the recommendation.
And on a practical kitchen note: do yourself a favor and buy a nutmeg grater and a bottle of real, whole nutmegs. The tool is just a semi-cylindrical thing about as long as a dinner knife, and all you do is scrape the fresh nutmeg off the "nut." You won't believe the difference in taste! The pre-ground stuff goes stale almost instantly.
Could I just use a cheese grater? I never thought about buying a real nutmeg. Must try that. Really the nutmeg I'm using now is years old. No wonder I'm not getting any narcotic benefit from it.
I think a cheese grater would work if it's the "fine" grate sort, not the bigger holes. But the curved cylinder really digs into that nut of meg and releases the oils or something. No kidding---when you grate it fresh, the aroma and taste are like experiencing nutmeg for the first time! And the dried nuts last forever---their skin protects them from decay, if kept in a sealed jar. As it's not a spice used daily (I mainly use it for eggnog at Christmas and when I make a quiche Lorraine) you want to keep it in the fridge, of course.
Wow, I didn't know that nutmeg is a narcotic. Very interesting. I googled it and had a quick look and there are a lot of stories of people getting really ill and feeling miserable!
E, no, no, I can't claim expertise there, the book was an "airport" best-seller at the time which is the only reason I know about it :) so just mundane I'm afraid. I must say though it prompted me to buy all his books, there is also one on the early colonisation of America (something, something Elizabeth), big queen or big chief perhaps, which may interest you; some eye opening facts in that one too.
I always use an electric spice grinder for my nutmegs (John Lewis do a good one) too much like hard work otherwise, lovely with cinnamon, cloves & red cabbage (before you ask it's a Delia recipe!)
this is why I adore, ADORE I TELL YOU, rice pudding :D
Fresh grated is a must! A micro-plane works great (get the kind from the hardware store, no need to spend the $ (or pounds!) for the gourmet shop kind. Just a few quick rubs across the nut and heavenly results! Add it to spinach canaloni, white cheese sauces, eggs, cooked greens, as well as sweets.
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