05.18.2020
What is Mace Spice?
Mace is misunderstood. As a spice, it seems to hold the same status as marjoram—an ingredient everyone needs to have, but seldom cooks with. That’s too bad, because mace is one of the most complex and alluring spices in The Spice House’s collection. With mace’s mysterious history and its aggressive name, it is a spice worthy of understanding and cooking with.
What is Mace?
Mace is the sister spice of nutmeg. Nutmeg trees are the only plant to give us two spices. (As opposed to a plant like dill which gives us a spice and an herb.) Nutmegs are the actual seeds of the tree while mace is what is known as an airl—the protective coating of the seed.
Mace’s flavor and aroma differ slightly from nutmeg as its profile tends to be sharper and less sweet. It still carries distinct flavors of nutmeg, but with subtle notes of pine, black pepper, and coriander-like citrus. The essential oils of mace and nutmeg have different chemical compositions and noticeably different flavors even though they come from the same plant. This is similar to how an orange peel will taste and smell different than the flesh.
How Do I Use Mace?
Recipe Ideas for Mace
Sweet applications like pumpkin pie, berry cobblers, or a hot toddy are obvious ways to use mace. Savory applications like Swedish meatballs, homemade barbecue spice rubs are welcomed surprises. Mace pairs well with other spices like cloves, allspice, ginger, vanilla, saffron, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, caraway, and fennel. The spice also works well with ingredients such as lamb, veal, pork, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, squash, cream, and cheeses.
Mace is a popular ingredient in the cuisines of Northern Europe—notably in English pork pie, Swedish meatballs, and rhubarb cakes and crumbles. In India, mace is a widely used many curry and chutney recipes. The whole blades are often toasted in a dry pan with cardamom, cloves, and black pepper before being pulverized in a mortar and pestle with fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric until it forms a paste. This lamb korma recipe is a great example of how Indian cuisine uses mace with other complementary spices to form a savory dish.
If you have any questions about mace or have a favorite mace recipe to share, email us at spices@thespicehouse or leave a comment below.
I use this for making mornay sauce for lasagna, both mace and nutmeg and its incredible, its not a lasagna without a good mornay sauce,
Nice description of mace/Nutmeg, though you forgot to mention Coriander, a spice from seeds and Cilantro a herb from leaves
I add a little mace and nutmeg to sweet dough for cinnamon rolls. It is amazing, it sets them apart from other cinnamon rolls.
My mother and her mother used mace when cooking spinach. A few dashes will do. It’s delicious.
I would love the lamb Korma recipe as I have never made a Korma before, but have enjoyed it when I have eaten out
I can’t find mace in any grocery store. Can nutmeg be substituted in my recipe for candied yams?
Just found your page….love it!
Hi Elizabeth,
That recipe sounds delicious!
You could certainly add mace along with the other spices. A 1/4 teaspoon would be a safe amount to begin with.
Please let us know how your recipe turns out!
Should I use mace in my homemade granola. I use 6cups of oats with other spices too but don’t know how much to use. I also use oil and maple syrup. I usually use three tsps. of cinnamon with a fourth of a tsp. of these spices. Nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ginger, mace, nutmeg, cloves. This recipe came from Nabisco and I doctored it up. I add nuts and chia seeds too. A lot of this was not in the original recipe. Thanks for any comments.
One other recipe area to use mace—- try in homemade fruit cakes. Delicious flavor!!