Ground Mace

Ground mace, a strange yet flavorful taste common in culinary creations and traditional recipes, has a long and complex journey before it can end up tingling our tastebuds. This blog post will dive into the scientific process of how mace goes from the plant, to the final product, and onto our plates.

First let’s take a look at where mace comes from and the different stages it must go through. When mace is harvested from Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka, it comes from innerfruit layers of the nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, which is native to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas, or Maluku, of Indonesia. In many countries around the world, the trees are planted for their productive commercial value, as the mace produced can be used for a multitude of purposes in food, medicine, and perfumery.

When the trees are mature, or between 8 and 12 years old, they are pollinated during the dry season. As they become ready for harvest, they will start to produce nutmeg and mace simultaneously, with nutmeg seed cores remaining in the background and mace essentially covering them like a sheath or husk. This is why mace and nutmeg are such an inseparable duo, as during the harvest season, the mace is detached and collected, thus allowing the nutmeg to remain behind. When separated, the mace is actually dried within the sun, as it is composed of floral organs, essentially making it a dried flower in its own right. This also explains why it has such a bright yellow, orange, and red appearance.

Once it leaves the field, the mace continues to go through a rigorous process of cleaning, drying, grinding, and sorting — the stripping, separating and sifting of spices is a complex endeavor that must be carefully taken in consideration for food safety standards and regulations. Accordingly, cleaning and sorting is a critical aspect of the production of mace, as it ensures that your final product is both safe and uniform. It is important to note that poor handling and unhygienic infrastructure used in production can lead to microbial contamination and other unreliable safety issues.

From here, the mace is then ground in large machines using blades, or through a mortar and pestle. During this stage, the mace is reduced to a fine powder and sorted according to size and spec by using a grading system. This is done to ensure a consistent flavor, aroma, and colour before it reaches the end product. In addition, manufacturers may add various ingredients such as artificial flavours and colours to create a unique flavour or colour profile, if desired.

Once the mace has been ground and sorted, it is ready for packaging and shipping. This highly volatile spice needs to be properly sealed and sealed in an air-tight container to insure its freshness and prevent it from expanding and contracting due to temperature fluctuations which can damage the flavor and aroma of the spice higher.

At this stage, the mace is ready to be sent out to stores and restaurants all over the world. This typically happens by air shipments that are FDA-inspected and approved. It’s important to note that although mace needs to be transported quickly, packages must maintain proper temperature control, as mace is a very volatile spice. Depending on the quantity, mace can be shipped directly from a manufacturer to its intended destination, or it can be stored in a warehouse for a short period of time before being sent to retailers.

Once the mace reaches its destination, it is available for sale and consumption. When it's used in cooking, the delicate threads of mace are cracked and sprinkled over dishes to impart a delicate, aromatic flavor to the dish. With its subtle sweet and spicy notes, mace is usually used to add an unexpected burst of flavor to savory dishes. For example, mace is sometimes used as an ingredient in cakes, curries, soups, sauces, and even pickles. Moreover, it’s widely popularly used in the preparation of various holiday dishes, making it an integral part of many festive celebrations.

And there you have it - the journey of mace, from the Myristica fragrans tree in Indonesia, all the way through production, packaging, delivery, sale, and forever imprinted in our collective culture via food. No matter how it is used, mace is an essential seasoning in many cuisines, and a key flavor enhancer in many remembered dishes.