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Grenadian Nutmeg, Mace and Cocoa

Agricultural region

NUTMEG (Myristica fragrans) is not native — it was brought from the East Indies in the 1840s — and Grenada became the second producer in the world. ⚠ ONE TREE GIVES TWO SPICES: the seed is nutmeg, the scarlet lacy aril around it is MACE, and they taste different and are traded separately. ⚠ HURRICANE IVAN IN 2004 DESTROYED AN ESTIMATED 90 PER CENT OF THE NUTMEG TREES, which take years to bear; the industry has still not returned to its former level, and that is the single most important fact about Grenadian agriculture in living memory. COCOA, planted earlier, is fine-flavour Trinitario, and the Grenada Chocolate Company pioneered tree-to-bar production on the island rather than exporting beans. Nutmeg goes into sweets, jam, syrup, ice cream, the rum punch — and the nutmeg in a Bajan or Trinidadian rum punch is very often Grenadian.

Atlas — where and when

Where in the world

Communities and languages

Languages: Grenadian Creole English

What is recorded

  • Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) is native to the Banda Islands and was introduced to Grenada in the 1840s; Grenada became the world’s second largest producer and nutmeg appears on the national flag. Nutmeg and mace are two distinct spices from one fruit — the seed and its aril — and are traded separately. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 destroyed an estimated 90 per cent of Grenada’s nutmeg trees, which require years to reach bearing age, and production has not returned to prior levels. documented
  • Nutmeg is introduced to Grenada from the East Indies; the island becomes the world’s second producer. documented
  • Hurricane Ivan destroys an estimated 90 per cent of Grenada’s nutmeg trees, which take years to bear. documented

Related foodways

This foodway relates to

  • originates from Indonesian Cuisine documented

    Nutmeg is a Banda Islands species, brought to Grenada in the 1840s. Grenada became the second producer in the world.

Recipes

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