Spices, mace, ground

Mace is the dried, lacy covering that surrounds the nutmeg seed, ground into a spice with a flavor close to nutmeg but lighter, more delicate, and slightly citrusy or peppery. Bakers use it in pound cakes, doughnuts, spice cookies, and custards, while it also appears in béchamel and cream sauces, pickling spice blends, sausages, pâtés, and in South Asian garam masala and biryani spice mixes, where it lends warmth without the heavier, more assertive punch of nutmeg. A little goes a long way, and it is almost always used alongside other warm spices like cinnamon, clove, and allspice rather than on its own, since its flavor is easily overwhelmed if paired with something stronger in large amounts.

Whole blades of mace, ground just before use, hold their aromatic oils longer than pre-ground mace, so buying whole and grinding fresh gives the strongest flavor; either form should be kept in a sealed jar away from light and heat. It is used only by the pinch or teaspoon, so the 475 calories and 32.4g fat per 100g are essentially irrelevant to daily intake at real serving sizes. Per 100g, mace does carry 77% of the Daily Value for iron and 20.2g fiber, meaning even a small teaspoon added regularly to baked goods or a spice blend contributes modestly to both over time.