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The Many Uses of Nutmeg (for Ouroboros)
When a Very Dear Friend approaches one to say "I have a surfeit of nutmeg! What shall I do?" one does not ask questions, even though one may suspect that said surfeit arrived in a shipment of rare teas and opiums from deepest Mongolia and that he is not sharing.
A discreet friend will simply ponder recipes. Even if one wishes very much to ask if perhaps this Very Dear Friend has been conducting transactions with the Space Guild and although one has always wanted to be a Bene Gesserit and would quite like in on such goings-on, one does not ask. One does not even ask if the Very Dear Friend has been winning far too often at games of backgammon with Indonesians rich in their native resources but not so much in American lucre, though one is very fond of both backgammon and nutmeg.
Even more certainly, one would not enquire as to whether or not the Very Dear Friend had perhaps undertaken an off-label consumption of nutmeg in order to make contact with the sublunar entities with whom Carlos Castaneda has taken up residence - too much nutmeg, regardless of intended use, is just plain yaqui tasting!
Indeed, one is rather shocked to hear that such a comforting little spice has such a capacity! It is somewhat like hearing the dowdy middle-aged secretary in one's office who bakes such nice cookies also moonlights as "Mistress Zamora, Queen of the Whip" at the local Country & Western line-dancing fetish club.
No, one does not. One simply taps a pencil against one's lower lip, as if coaxing it to divulge nutmeg-enhanced dishes.
♥Nutmeg as Amanuensis♥
Nutmeg enhances and refines the following dishes as long as one observes the "Is there nutmeg in this?" rule:
- Chili
- Any soup involving sherry
- Brisket
- Pork braised with winter spices and honey, served with winter squash ratatouille and white rice (skimp not on the salt, pepper, and butter in the squash and rice, but the pork will require none at all). Brandy (possibly with cream and coffee) and oranges for dessert are the perfect coda.
- Spiced kashi, oatmeal, and other winter porridges. All of the above should most definitely be served very hot, with very cold cream on the side.
- Cockaleekie Soup
- hummus (just a little, mind)
- Mushroom soup, Mushroom and Hazelnut soup and all other mushroom soups especially if they involve (as they should), sherry.
- It should go without saying that nutmeg is divine in almost any cookie or cake you think it might be good in. Also, pie.
- Speaking of pie, anyone with a surfeit of nutmeg might do well to mince a bag of apples and gently cook them with nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar, then freeze up pints in freezer and microwave safe bags or similar. Then one will always have sweetly spiced apples to heat up and pour over one's cereal, ice cream, or lover. Be careful with the last bit, though. Sugar can get positively emergency-room hot.
- Sherry and nutmeg are made for each other. I would recommend putting sherry in the oatmeal if I wasn't certain that would make for a rather poorly conceived morning.
If one is a fan of being spiced rather than perfumed, nutmeg nuts can be lightly grated and then stuck in coat pockets or between sweaters. This, of course, would assume a rather shocking surplus of nutmeg, which is not inexpensive in whole nut form.
And one should never forget that nutmeg makes almost any Indian recipe even more simultaneously cozy and exotic - though one should not mix it with saffron-based dishes.
The spice is life!
karma debt says it also tastes yummy in Quiche Lorraine!
tandex says: I would like to add that when I brew coffee I always add nutmeg and cinnimon (as well as some orange peel and cardamom). It adds a fantastic flavor to simple maxwell house coffee without the artificial flavor taste of most flavored coffees /smile/
peanut says: Nutmeg goes well in any sweet egg dish too, such as baked custard, french toast, and eggnog. I've also added a bit to cheese fondue. Great node! :)
altracoolboy adds: I just wanted to tell you some things that I add nutmeg to that are not on your list. Mainly, cappuccino/latte. Also, VERY good with asparagus or green beans sauteed with butter. It's good with cinnamon in waffles also.
asparagus? hm.
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