Plenty of places have a nickname that means very little. This one is literal — spice grows on the hillsides, it is processed on the island, and it turns up in the cooking, the drinks and the smell of the air near a processing station.
| The signature | nutmeg, and its covering, mace |
|---|---|
| Also grown | cinnamon, cloves, ginger, turmeric, cocoa |
| Where to buy | the market, not a gift shop |
| Worth doing | a processing station or estate visit |
Nutmeg, and the thing most people do not know
Nutmeg grows as a fruit. Inside is a hard seed — the nutmeg — and wrapped around that seed is a bright red lacy covering called mace.
Two completely different spices come out of the same fruit, and mace tastes distinctly different from nutmeg: lighter, more floral, more delicate.
Even the fruit itself gets used — in jams, syrups and drinks. Almost nothing is wasted, which becomes obvious the moment you see one opened.
If you buy one thing here, buy whole nutmegs. Whole keeps its flavour for years while ground loses it in months, and grating it fresh at home is a genuine upgrade over anything in a supermarket jar.
What else grows here
- Cinnamon — the bark of a tree, rolled and dried
- Cloves — unopened flower buds
- Ginger and turmeric, both fresh and dried
- Bay leaf, from a local variety
- Cocoa, which is a major crop and produces excellent chocolate
- Vanilla, in small quantities
Cocoa deserves attention. The chocolate made here from local beans is genuinely good — dark, distinctive, and a far better souvenir than most things sold as souvenirs.
Visiting a station or an estate
One of the more worthwhile half-days available, and it is not a manufactured tourist experience:
- Processing stations are working buildings where spice is sorted, graded and dried, often by hand
- Estates show the growing side, and the walk through the trees is lovely in itself
- Chocolate makers run tours from bean to bar
- The smell alone justifies the trip
What makes it interesting is that it is real work rather than a demonstration. People are doing their jobs and happen to let you watch — which is why it beats most organised attractions.
Go in the morning while work is happening, ask questions, and buy something at the end. The price at source is a fraction of the gift-shop price.
Buying spice properly
- Buy at the market or at source, not at the airport or a hotel shop
- Whole rather than ground, always, for both flavour and shelf life
- Smell before buying — good spice announces itself
- Buy less than you plan to. A little goes a long way and you will not use a kilo of cloves
- Ask how to use it — sellers will tell you, and their answers are better than a recipe
One practical warning: check your own country's rules on bringing plant products home before buying quantities, as covered in the material on customs. Dried spice is usually fine; fresh produce and seeds frequently are not.
Tasting it in the food
Once you know what grows here, you start noticing it everywhere:
- Nutmeg in drinks, grated on top of rum punch as standard
- Nutmeg ice cream, which is the island in a bowl
- Cinnamon and clove in cocoa tea
- Spice in the stews, used more confidently than most visitors expect
- Nutmeg syrup and jam, made from the fruit
Try the ice cream. It sounds unlikely and it is the single best argument for the nickname that anyone will make to you all week.
Frequently asked questions
What is mace?
The bright red lacy covering around the nutmeg seed — a separate spice from the same fruit, lighter and more floral than nutmeg itself.
Whole or ground spice?
Whole, always. It keeps flavour for years while ground loses it within months.
Is a processing station worth visiting?
Yes — it is real working sorting and drying rather than a demonstration, which is what makes it better than most organised attractions.
What should be checked before buying a lot?
Your own country's rules on plant products. Dried spice is usually fine; fresh produce and seeds frequently are not.
