Nutmeg is a very strong-flavored spice that many different cuisines use. Some dishes are even unrecognizable without it. Even a simple dish like pasta might seem different without it. However, the nutmeg we usually buy looks a lot different before it hits the stores.

This nut is native to the Spice Islands and East Indies tropical islands. It grows on trees, the seed is sealed in a shell, and the seed itself in a red aril. Once ripe, the outer shell cracks open and falls down on the ground or it gets pried open, and the aril gets cut off too.