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

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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 Some people store their uncleaned grater in a sealed plastic bag, to keep the nutmeg embedded on it “fresher” between uses. 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. 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.

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. MaintenanceFancier 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, They use an old (but clean) nailbrush or hard-bristled toothbrush, reaching for a pin to unclog holes.

Pierre Franey, writing for the New York Times, said he cleaned his only rarely: “I clean my nutmeg grater only very rarely for fear of inducing rust. When a grater is washed it should of course be dried diligently.” [5] Franey, Pierre. Kitchen Equipment: Nutmeg Grinders. Uses 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: 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.

Other names

Small, cylindrical nutmeg graters. The solid silver cylinder was the case. Metropolitan Museum of Art / wikimedia / 2017 / Public Domain What does a nutmeg grinder offer that a store-bought bottle of ground nutmeg doesn’t? A ton of flavour. Freshly ground nutmeg maintains the natural oils that give the spice its distinctive flavour, so less of it is required. The more time that passes after grinding the nutmeg, the more flavour is lost. A grater or grinder is the best way to get that fresh nutmeg flavour when you want it. Manual vs. electric 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. 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.

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 A handheld rasp-style nutmeg grater might not be the most elegant tool a chef owns, but in fact it may well be the best possible device for producing ground nutmeg. These simple graters put complete control of the process into the cook's hands, with a person able to regulate the coarseness of the grinds based on pressure applied and to stop grinding the seed precisely as soon as he or she has produced enough powdered nutmeg. On the other hand, such grater also almost fully preclude the complete use of any seed, as a person risks cutting their fingers on the rasps once the seed has grown too small. And while excellent for controlling minute amounts of grated nutmeg, such a tool is also much less efficient than other more mechanically-inclined options when you have large quantities of ground nutmeg to produce. 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. 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. 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:

FAQ

It isn’t quite as simple as throwing a nutmeg in the grinder and turning it on. Follow these steps: When most people think of nutmeg, they likely first picture an inviting glass of eggnog served during the holidays spiked with some rum or brandy and topped by grated spices. Nutmeg is a popular topper or addition to myriad beverages beyond eggnog, of course, used in a range of alcoholic punches and in coffee and cocoa drinks. It is also commonly sprinkled over or baked into pies, pastries, and breads, and is an important ingredient in dishes such as Indonesian Oxtail Soup, Middle Eastern Al Kabsa, and Scottish haggis. 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 As mentioned above, nutmeg is native to a number of Indian Ocean islands known, fittingly enough as, the Spice Islands. It was one of many prized and rare spices that were wildly popular in the west during the Middle Ages and Renaissance -- cinnamon, pepper, and cloves were also highly sought after -- both for its culinary uses and for its perceived medicinal characteristics. (It was thought for many centuries that nutmeg and certain other spices could help to prevent infection with the bubonic plague.) 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.