Nutmeg in Coffee: Should You Try It?
Nutmeg should be at the top of your list of things to try if you’re looking for a way to literally spice up your coffee. Most people connect the powerful spice nutmeg with chilly, snowy days, but it really tastes great in coffee. Adding nutmeg to coffee may offend purists, but they’ll also be losing out on a delectable treat that can revitalise stale beans or add complexity and depth to your favourite coffee beverage.With some background on nutmeg and a couple of our favourite recipes at the end, we’ll give you a brief explanation of why you should try adding nutmeg to your coffee in this post. Move along!
What is nutmeg?
Myristica fragrans is an Indonesian native evergreen tree, and nutmeg is the fruit’s seed. These trees are grown in tropical nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, Grenada, and Sri Lanka expressly to produce nutmeg since they thrive in warm, humid climates.Depending on the culture and desired outcome, nutmeg has a warming aspect in cooking that works equally well in sweet and savoury meals. While European cuisine frequently adds nutmeg to baked items and pastries, many Indian dishes season meat with ground nutmeg.Almost all recipes call for either ground or grated nutmeg, which is frequently offered at grocery stores. Whole nutmegs are hard to get by and typically cost less nutmeg coffee.
Why is nutmeg good in coffee?
A common component in mulled wine and cider recipes, nutmeg is also one of the flavours that Western culture closely associated with autumn. Nutmeg is commonly used in spiced rum and punch, and it is this flavour that lends them some of their lovable warm tingliness. If you enjoy the flavour and mouthfeel of spiced rum or cider, there is a significant probability that you will enjoy nutmeg in coffee as well.Although it may sound unusual, a spice that is frequently used to season meat can also taste wonderful in coffee. Despite having a strong flavour, nutmeg is quite adaptable and pairs well with the tastes of medium and dark roasted coffee.
Here are some of the methods you can try:
- Sprinkle some ground nutmeg on top of your coffee, after adding milk or cream. This will give your coffee a nice aroma and a subtle flavor of nutmeg. You can also add some sugar or honey if you like your coffee sweet.
- Add some whole or crushed nutmeg to your coffee grounds, before brewing. This will infuse your coffee with a stronger flavor of nutmeg, and also make your kitchen smell wonderful. You can use a coffee grinder, a mortar and pestle, or a knife to crush the nutmeg. You can also add some other spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger, to create your own spiced coffee blend nutmeg coffee.
- Brew some coffee with nutmeg-infused water. This is a simple and quick way to make nutmeg coffee, without using any extra equipment. You just need to boil some water with a few pieces of nutmeg, and then use it to brew your coffee as usual. You can also add some vanilla extract or orange zest to the water for more flavor.
- Make a nutmeg syrup and add it to your coffee. This is a great way to make a sweet and creamy nutmeg coffee, similar to a latte. You just need to dissolve some sugar in water, and then add some nutmeg and simmer until thickened. You can also add some milk or cream to the syrup, or use a non-dairy alternative, such as almond or coconut milk. You can then store the syrup in a jar in the refrigerator, and use it whenever you want to make a nutmeg coffee. You can also add some whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top for a decadent treat.
Which Coffee Would You Drink When Nutmeg Is Present?
Start with medium- or dark-roasted coffee, as per our advice. Light roasts offer fruitier, more vibrant flavour profiles, which clash with nutmeg and result in an odd, disjointed mixture of flavours. Dark and medium roasts, on the other hand, tend to pair well with nutmeg because they are often more chocolaty and nutty.Nutmeg is one of our favourite coffee additives since it makes stale, aged beans more enjoyable to consume. Sometimes a bag of coffee is overlooked, and by the time we remember it, it has lost its freshness. Old coffee beans produce coffee that is flavourless at best and harsh and bitter at worst. We whip out the nutmeg whenever we have an old bag of coffee beans laying around that we don’t want to waste nutmeg coffee.
