Cloves, Nutmeg, Macis, Pimiento
Cloves
Cloves, or Eugenia caryophyllata, belong to the Myrtaceae family.
The plant is native to the Molucca Islands of Indonesia.
It is possible that the ancient Chinese used cloves for their aromatic properties or in medicine. Ancient Romans used this spice to stop toothaches.
Cloves arrived in Europe during the fourth century and were used in some dishes, but they didn’t become widely known until the Crusades.
The Portuguese and Dutch had a corner on their market for a long times, until 1770, when a Frenchman challenged the clove trade with smuggled plants.
Cloves are dehydrated buds of a plant similar to myrtle that can grow as high as 12-15 meters. In grows in tropical climates, near the sea, particularly in Tanzania and Zanzibar, but also in Madagascar, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Brazil.
Indonesia is the biggest producer, often mixing cloves with tobacco for cigarettes and cigars.
Cloves can be bought whole, dehydrated, or as powder, but should be freshly milled when used in the kitchen.
In the kitchen
Cloves pair well with onions, and are often inserted into the onion’s bulb in order to give extra aroma and flavor to a dish.
This technique is used for different preparations: boiled or braised red meat or marinated game, veal and boiled eggs.
In French cuisine, they are used in matelote, a stewed fathead minnow in a white or red wine sauce.
Cloves are often added to fruit and vegetable compotes.
Cloves, when mixed with cinnamon, are a basic ingredient of vin brulè.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg, or Myristica fragrans, belongs to the Myristicaceae family. It is native to the Molucca islands and spread during the beginning of the 16th century, when the islands were discovered.
The nutmeg plant grows in tropical and insular climates, especially in Indonesia, West Indies and in Sri Lanka, and can grow 20 meters and it takes 10 to 15 years to ripen; then it can produce about 1500-2000 nutmeg a year, for about 70 years.
Its fruits are yellow buds and look like apricots. Inside they have an oval seed that is about 2-3 centimetres long, and has a thin shell that is removed during production.
It has a wrinkled exterior and a marbled interior. It is sold as whole seeds that have to be grated with a specific grater, or it is sold milled.
In the kitchen
It is often used in northern Italy, where it is added to sauces such as béchamel, fillings for ravioli and cannelloni (meat, cheese and vegetable varieties).
It is used to flavor spinach, puddings, cakes and sweet crèmes. It is also added to an English beverage called eggnog, made up of eggs and beer, and in mulled wine. It is a basic ingredient for some cocktails.
Macis
Macis are the external membrane around the nutmeg seed.
It is orange and carries a fruitier taste similar to cinnamon mixed with nutmeg.
Its flavor is stronger than nutmeg because it contains more essential oils.
It is quite expensive and can be bought milled or in pieces.
Milled macis lose aroma quickly, even if preserved in cans.
In the kitchen
Macis are used to make salumi, especially bologna.
It is also added to pate and boudin blanc. Its essential oils are used in liqueurs, especially alchermes.
Pimiento
Pimiento, Pimenta dioica or Pimenta officinalis, is also called paprika or Jamaican pepper. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is native to Jamaica, but is grown in Central America, Mexico and Brazil.
The pimiento plant is an evergreen that can grow up to 9 meters; it has thick leaves and, during the summer, clusters of perfumed white flowers. Its berries look like pepper grains and are harvested when while green, then are dehydrated and become crimson.
This plant can live 100 years. It is farmed in tropical climates, and does not need much maintenance.
Pimiento has a strong aroma, similar to a mix of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and laurel.