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

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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 When you consider the extra flavour offered by freshly ground nutmeg and the fact that whole nutmeg lasts for years, a grinder offers an economical alternative to buying ground nutmeg. Key considerations They use an old (but clean) nailbrush or hard-bristled toothbrush, reaching for a pin to unclog holes. Many people never clean their nutmeg grater, at all. They say they only ever use it for that one thing, and that they aren’t concerned if a microscopic portion of nutmeg from the last use gets included with the nutmeg freshly ground this time. As nutmeg can have generally undesired side effects when consumed in too great a dose, including indigestion, headache, and even induction of hallucinatory and/or otherwise psychoactive episodes, it is best kept out of reach of children and consumed only in moderation. The Spicy History of Nutmeg

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 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.

By the mid-nineteenth century, the price for nutmeg became moderately priced. The study of mid-Victorian and American Civil war cookbooks shows that one out of five recipes contained nutmeg as a flavoring. Use of the spice was prevalent in everything from pumpkin pie and rice pudding to venison broth and ketchup. Even a concoction to treat baldness with nutmeg is known. From the 1850s to the 1920s an astonishing array of technologically improved nutmeg graters were patented from across America. Each product attested to be superior to the last, all designed to complete a simple chore without abrading the user's fingers. While a handful of mechanical nutmeg graters were success stories, most were short lived failures. 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: In the case of a manual grinder or grater, a comfortable handle is crucial. Many handles are dubbed “ergonomic” by the manufacturers, which just means the handle is contoured to comfortably fit your hand. Maintaining your grip on a handheld grater or grinder is important for keeping you safe and allowing you to work efficiently. Storage

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. 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.Semicylindrical graters are laid flat on a surface to use and often have a compartment to store whole nutmeg. If you’re looking for a grater specifically for nutmeg, this is a good option.

A nutmeg grater is an essential part of a toolkit for bartenders, who use them to grate fresh nutmeg as an aromatic garnish for drinks: Now that you have some ground nutmeg, what can you do with it? Nutmeg is a versatile spice that adds warmth to sweet or savoury dishes and drinks. Here are some common uses for nutmeg: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, Stainless steel is a popular material for graters and grinders because it’s easy to clean, highly durable, and incredibly sharp. Electric grinders use a variety of materials, most of which are plastic or metal. The blades in electric grinders are unlikely to break, so materials are less of a consideration. Nutmeg grinder features It isn’t quite as simple as throwing a nutmeg in the grinder and turning it on. Follow these steps:

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. Nutmeg is up there with cinnamon and star anise as one of the most difficult seasonings to process, but it doesn't have to be. Because a nutmeg seed is relatively easy to grasp, you can get away with using the Microplane 46016 if you just need small amounts, or the especially versatile Microplane Classic Zester for larger batches. In fact, we'd recommend that classic Microplane be a part of every kitchen, both at home and at work, because it's a remarkably useful tool in a lot of settings. 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.Small, cylindrical nutmeg graters. The solid silver cylinder was the case. Metropolitan Museum of Art / wikimedia / 2017 / Public Domain Sourced from trees in the Myristica genus native to islands in the Indian Ocean, the nutmeg seed usually measures about one inch in length and is too tough for any practical use as a whole piece. But grated into a fine powder, nutmeg is nutritious, delicious, and perennial popular, used in a range of cuisines around the world and also prized for its ability to be used in creating essential oils. 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. 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. Mechanical or electric grinders can be kept on the counter or in a cupboard. However, graters have exposed blades that can be a hazard if simply tossed in a drawer. Some graters come with a sheath or cover, which allows you to store your grater in a drawer without fear of cutting yourself or damaging the blades. If a grater doesn’t come with a sheath, it should be hung up or put in a place where people aren’t likely to accidentally cut themselves on it. Maintenance