People often ask me which hundred-year-old recipes are my personal favorites. Well, one of my favorites is Baked Rhubarb with Orange. I first made that recipe in 2013, and have made it at least once (and often two or three times) each year since then. The recipe calls for mace. I recently needed so buy some more mace in order to make the recipe this year – and I had to go to three stores before I found it.
I was surprised how difficult it was to find mace. It is a commonly used spice in hundred-year-old recipes. Then, I realized that I seldom see it called for in modern recipes, so there may not be much demand for it.
Both nutmeg and mace are made from the seeds of the same tree. Nutmeg is the inner part of the seed, while mace is made from the outer membrane that surrounds the seed. Nutmeg has a warm, nutty flavor, while mace has a delicate, more complex flavor with hints of citrus, cinnamon, and pepper. Mace is more concentrated than nutmeg. Nutmeg can be substituted for mace. Happy Spicy Hour recommends substituting nutmeg for mace at a 2 to 1 ratio. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of mace, use 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
Often when old recipes were tweaked and updated by recipe authors and cooks over the years, nutmeg was substituted for mace. When I made a hundred-year-old recipe for Hermits Cookies, the recipe called for mace. Modern recipes for Hermits generally call for nutmeg.
Back to the Baked Rhubarb with Orange — I’m sure that I could have substituted nutmeg for the mace, and would have still loved the recipe; but I’m glad I persevered and found mace. Its bright, delicate flavor works wonderfully when making this delightful dish.
Here are some other hundred-year-old recipes that I’ve made over the years that call for mace:
