KitchenCraft KCNUTMEG Spice / Nutmeg Grater with Container, Stainless Steel, Silver

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Some people prefer using a grinder because it does away with the risk of grating bits of your skin in with the nutmeg. Cleaning a nutmeg grater

Beyond its use in the kitchen, nutmeg also has noted benefits when refined into an essential oil. Achieve through the distillation of ground nutmeg, the oil sourced from nutmeg contains several organic chemicals (mostly terpenoids and phenylpropenes) such as geraniol and safrol. The oil is used in oral hygiene products, cough suppressant medicines, and in tinctures designed to soothe stomach and intestinal issues. It can also be used to invigorate a massage oil or as part of an aromatherapy regimen intended to enhance the relaxation and tranquility of a user. As mentioned above, nutmeg is native to a number of Indian Ocean islands known, fittingly enough as, the Spice Islands. It was one of many prized and rare spices that were wildly popular in the west during the Middle Ages and Renaissance -- cinnamon, pepper, and cloves were also highly sought after -- both for its culinary uses and for its perceived medicinal characteristics. (It was thought for many centuries that nutmeg and certain other spices could help to prevent infection with the bubonic plague.) A. There is little to no difference in the fineness of the resulting powder, so it’s up to you. Grinders have the added benefit of storing ground nutmeg, but it might also be more difficult to produce small amounts of nutmeg with a grinder than with a grater. Fancier models are rotary operated with a handle. They are often referred to as “nutmeg grinders” or “nutmeg mills.” The Deluxe Food Lover’s Companion says,Karen Marley, author of SpiceSherpa.com, does not clean hers. She writes, “Nutmeg is also one of those ‘clean’ spices so you aren’t obligated to [do] extra cleaning when you use your grater. Trust me on this one…” [4] Marley, Karen. Nutmeg graters. Accessed October 2019 at http://www.spicesherpa.com/nutmeg-graters Grinders: You operate a grinder by twisting either a handle or the two parts of the grinder itself. Some grinders collect the nutmeg in a compartment, while others dispense the nutmeg from the bottom of the grinder, like a pepper grinder. If you want an easy way to sprinkle a little nutmeg on a drink or dessert, look for the latter type. Some people store their uncleaned grater in a sealed plastic bag, to keep the nutmeg embedded on it “fresher” between uses. Personal silver nutmeg grate circa 1690. Gentleman would carry one with them so they could grate fresh nutmeg into their beverages such as nog or punch. Metropolitan Museum of Art / wikimedia / 2017 / Public Domain

Lured by the quest for riches, in 1511, the Portuguese were the first Europeans arriving directly at the Banda Islands over the high seas. For a century, Portugal enjoyed the exclusive trade in nutmeg to Western Europe until expelled by Dutch forces. Using coercion, Dutch traders of the seventeenth century created a monopoly with cloves, nutmeg, and mace from the Moluccan Islands and marketed their precious spices at monstrous profits to an eager public in Europe, the Orient and North America. A cut-throat competition for both the lucrative spice trade, and for possession of the spice plant itself, led to terrifying acts of piracy, murder and maritime smuggling. First the French, and then the English, successfully transplanted sapling nutmeg trees, initiating nutmeg plantations throughout the Indian Ocean and Caribbean. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Dutch spice monopoly faltered. If you wish to produce a good deal of greater nutmeg and you also value the aesthetics associated with gourmet food preparation, consider a rotary-style nutmeg mill. These tools place a nutmeg seed (or several) in a closed chamber topped by a hand-turned crank usually connected to a group of claws that hold the seed in place and apply downward pressure. When operated, the rotating twists the seed against a series of rasps or teeth, shaving bits of nutmeg with ease.Graters: These are far simpler in design than grinders and resemble small cheese graters. You simply rub the nutmeg (or other spice) over a piece of perforated metal. As far as safety goes, a grater is more dangerous to use because it’s possible to cut your fingers on the grate as you work. If you’re worried about this, look for a grater with an attachment that holds the nutmeg – so you don’t have to hold it directly. Some mandolines include graters that work well with nutmeg. Common grater styles for nutmeg (and other spices) include the following: A nutmeg grater can be used to grate nutmeg for use as an ingredient in a mixture for a food item, such as a baked good, or a quiche. In the 17th and 18th century, gentlemen would carry their own small, personal silver nutmeg grater with them. This allowed them to freshly grate their own nutmeg into fashionable drinks such as punches, nogs, and hot mulled wine.