Nutmeg gained a lot of popularity in the late 1500s as a treatment for plague, and became even trendier among European elites once they discovered its hallucinogenic properties (which are still a thing, according to The Atlantic). Also, spices were vanishingly rare back then, adding to the illusion of product scarcity.
Why was nutmeg so popular in the 18th century?
Nutmeg became popular among the 17th and 18th century upper class and started being used more for culinary purposes to flavor alcoholic beverages, such as punch, wine and cider.
What was nutmeg originally used for?
Historically, grated nutmeg was used as a sachet, and the Romans used it as incense. Around 1600 it became important as an expensive commercial spice in the Western world and was the subject of Dutch plots to keep prices high and of English and French counterplots to obtain fertile seeds for transplantation.
Why did the Dutch care so much about nutmeg?
At the height of their power, the Dutch had a monopoly on the world’s supply of nutmeg and mace as well as control over the vast majority of the the world’s access to cloves. Part of the reason why the Dutch could maintain their nutmeg monopoly was because the nutmeg tree only grew on the Banda islands in Indonesia.
What is the history of nutmeg?
Nutmeg originated in the Banda Islands of Indonesia, and was discovered by the Portuguese in 1512. The importance of the nutmeg seed was propagated by the Dutch. The name nutmeg is derived from the Latin nux muscatus, meaning “musky nut.” In India, nutmeg is known as Jaiphal.
Was nutmeg a cure for the plague?
Nutmeg’s value wasn’t just culinary; it was believed to have medicinal properties, including as protection against the bubonic plague that periodically wiped out large chunks of the population.
Why was nutmeg so expensive in 17th century?
Thought to have the power to cure everything from the plague to flatulence to the common cold, nutmeg was “the most coveted luxury in seventeenth-century Europe, a spice held to have such medicinal properties that men would risk their lives to acquire it.”‘
What is the most expensive spice in the world?
saffron
By far, the most valuable spice in the world today is saffron. The dried stigmas of the saffron crocus plant can be purchased as saffron threads. A kilo of saffron costs, depending on the quality, 3,000-14,000 Euros.
What does nutmeg taste like?
What Does Nutmeg Taste Like? Nutmeg is a warm spice with slightly nutty, sweet, woody flavors. It’s quite aromatic and can is generally best used in small amounts—usually no more than one teaspoon. If you use too much nutmeg, the dish, drink, or baked good may taste soapy or bitter.
Which country produces the most nutmeg?
Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest world producer of nutmeg and mace and accounts for three-quarters of world production and export. Grenada is the second largest producer and exporter.
What does nutmeg do with colonialism?
Nutmeg, believe it or not, is one of the most contentious spices in human history. Hugely valuable during the 1600s, nutmeg was once the center of the colonial efforts of the Dutch, who committed no shortage of atrocities to monopolize that portion of the spice trade.
Why did the Dutch give up New York?
The Dutch gave up the colony without a fight.
At its peak, only about 9,000 people lived in New Netherland, leaving it vulnerable to attack from the English, who fought three wars against the Dutch, their main commercial rivals, between 1652 and 1674 and who vastly outnumbered them in the New World.
What was New York swapped for?
Manhattan, in what is now modern-day New York, was a swampy piece of land when the Dutch swapped it with the British 350 years ago for a tiny island in Indonesia. Run island was prized as the home of nutmeg – a spice worth more than gold at the time.
Where is the best nutmeg from?
Indonesia. The Banda Islands in Maluku Province, Indonesia, are the earliest known nutmeg cultivation areas in the world. The islands are also known as Spice Islands. Indonesia is the world’s top producer of nutmeg, making up about 50% of the world’s production.
Why is it called nutmeg?
Why do they call it a nutmeg when a footballer kicks a ball through his opponent’s legs? It’s rhyming slang for legs. Through the nutmegs, through the legs – you’ve been nutmegged.
Is nutmeg a fruit or nut?
Nutmeg is not a nut but it is a mega spice and as such pose no risk to persons who have nut allergies. Nutmeg is actually a fruit with a single seed which makes it a drupe, similar to an apricot.
Can you eat the fruit of the nutmeg?
Nutmeg is the rarest of spices. Its woody balls are the stones or pips of fruits that plump from the nutmeg tree, the beautifully named Myristica fragrans. You can eat the fruit, too, if you’re lucky enough to get it: in Sulawesi they sugar it, then dry it in the sun so it partially ferments.
Can nutmeg cause migraines?
“Nutmeg is a neurotoxin. A lot of people have a reaction to it, but most never figure that out. Nutmeg causes headaches that many attribute to wine, turkey or other foods.
Does nutmeg cause constipation?
The presence of essential oils in nutmeg has a carminative effect on the digestive system, which helps in relieving the discomfort caused due to bloating, constipation etc. Moreover, nutmeg helps in secretion of digestive enzymes that improve metabolism and help in losing weight.
Was nutmeg worth more than gold?
In the 17th century, nutmeg was worth more than its weight in gold. A ship safely returned with its hold full of spices could do for an able-bodied seaman back then what an options package at AOL does for an employee today.
What was the most valuable spice in the Middle Ages?
saffron
More than half of all medieval English and French recipes call for saffron, the most costly of all medieval and modern spices (or herbs).