Some of you who know me may know that I originally hail from a place called “Connecticut.”  Others of you familiar with history may be aware that one nickname for Connecticutians is “nutmegger.”  An even smaller subset may be aware that that particular name is actually a pejorative expression, based on the fact that settlers in that area used to sell fakenutmegs to unsuspecting cooks.  Well, oddly enough for a home cook like myself, I only just began grating my own nutmeg (the real kind thank you, not the fake –once shame on you, twice shame on me) just last month, and I have to say–the taste and aroma of freshly grated nutmeg is very distinctive and an excellent addition to any recipe. But remember–only use 1/2 the amount the recipe calls for of pre-ground nutmeg.

So the next time you’re at Penzey’s Spices or your local grocer, check it out!  And don’t forget your microplaner!

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 12:25 pm and is filed under Foodstuffs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.