Mace has sweet, mild flavor all its own

A recent issue of the magazine One, put out by Penzeys Spices, included a banana muffin recipe that looked amazing but had to wait because of a missing ingredient.

Little more than a month ago, an untouched lasagna recipe surfaced and there it was again -- mace, something that definitely was not in my spice collection.

A trip to the Jewel, which carries ground mace under the McCormick brand, was convenient and filled the need. But a field trip to a local spice shop was necessary to truly understand this spice.

"It's the outside of the nutmeg. They're like little strands," says Evelyn Swanson, store manager of Penzeys Spices, 1138 W. Lake, Oak Park.

Inside the plum-sized fruit of a nutmeg tree, you'll find the nutmeg seed, covered by a thin, almost protective web. That red lacy shell, which turns brown or dark yellow when dried for consumption, is mace.

Mace is sold ground or in thin strands known as blades that can be used whole in soups or stews or ground as needed.

Swanson says that while mace and nutmeg may be substituted for one another, there is a distinction: Mace is sweeter and milder.

She said it's often used in doughnuts and American hot dogs (solving at least a minuscule part of the what's-in-a-tube-steak mystery).

Mace also does wonders for banana muffins and lasagna, and is great in small quantities in barbecue sauces for meat and fish, Swanson says.

Penzeys, which also has a location in Naperville, carries mace from Indonesia and Grenada, the top suppliers of the spice.

A final note about mace: While it is a wonderful multitasker in the kitchen, adaptable to sweet and savory dishes, it should not be confused with mace, a type of pepper spray. No relation. Period.

Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail the Food Detective at ldonovan@suntimes.com.