"Once considered a luxury spice, which Henry VI sprinkled through the streets before his coronation in a garish show of wealth, it was typically only used by royalty and upper-class households. Its distribution was controlled by a select group who knew where it was grown. By the 17th century, the Dutch were so vested in controlling its production that they literally started a war to obtain large amounts of nutmeg and store it for their own use."
"If you have strong memories of walking into your grandma's kitchen while she was cooking or baking, many of them are probably rooted in very distinct aromas. Even now, the smell of warm spices and savory cooking ingredients like garlic and onions may transport you back to time spent in the kitchen watching your grandma whip up one of her famous meals or desserts. And if you're a Millennial, your grandma probably used one common seasoning on everything from potatoes to pie: nutmeg."
Nutmeg has a complex history as a once-rare luxury spice controlled by select producers and fiercely contested, including 17th-century Dutch actions to monopolize production. Royalty and upper-class households mainly used nutmeg historically. Its popularity declined and resurged; it featured frequently in recipes before World War II and regained prominence in home cooking during the 1950s as families sought comfort foods after wartime rationing. Nutmeg has a warm, sweet, woody flavor with a nutty undertone, often compared to clove or cinnamon. The flavor is strongest when freshly grated, while preground nutmeg can taste more muted. Mace was commonly called for in older cookbooks.
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