I am a NUT for Nutmeg!

OK, we're here...it's fall rapidly descending into holidays...so I thought I'd touch on some winter spices that everybody uses for BAKING...but since I'm not the Pastry Queen I'm going to talk a bit about nuance and savory cooking.  Nutmeg is one of my favorite spices because it has such a nuanced flavor if you use the right amount that most people can't tell it's in there...it's the big ole' "What IS that flavor?!?" that I love to hear so much :)Nutmeg was fought over (the islands that grew it) and considered so valuable that it was sterilized when it left an island so that it couldn't re-seed or grow anywhere else.  It comes from a tree that also produces mace (more on that next time).  The DEATH penalty was enforced for anyone smuggling nutmeg.  First the Portuguese and the Dutch battled over dominion.  Then the Dutch and the English.   I'm going to leave you with two fun facts:1)   The Island of Manhattan, then called New Amsterdam, is part of the United States because of a negotiation in 1667 ending this particular spice war.2)    Add a pinch of nutmeg whenever you use cream, milk, or eggs.  No matter the recipe.  You'll thank me!For more tips and tricks you can subscribe here for some weekly wisdom!