Nutmeg or Nootmuscaat

Hello again, it’s Monica.

As you all know by now, I have been enjoying coffee all over the world for many years. What I’ve found is that each culture and/or country has incorporated coffee into their daily routine somehow, in some way they make that bean their own. Just consider all of the common variations we know about, like cappuccino, lattes, and espressos. Well, there are tons more that are not internationally, nor even nationally, talked about. 

This summer I want to focus on easy-to-make specialty coffee recipes that work with any of the Mokk-a brands. Now I have the opportunity to share with you my wonderful finds in different countries around the world. As you know, my favorite countries for coffee are France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Oh yes, Switzerland. Did I already say that? 

I've gotten to try so many specialty coffees from all over the world. I want to share some with you. Some of them are spicy, some of them are exciting, some of them creamy, but all of them are delicious.
One of my favorites I discovered while drinking Cafe Holland in the Netherlands one spring. The Dutch have a history of being prosperous merchants and imported many desirable goods to Europe from far-off exotic places. They discovered nootmuscaat in Indonesia. Nootmuscaat (pronounced: note-moo-schaht) is Dutch for nutmeg.
Indonesia is also a coffee land. They are well known for some of the most expensive coffee sold by the pound (But, that’s a story for another time.). Not only did the Dutch import nutmeg but also coffee from the large island nation of Indonesia. Once back in the Netherlands they tried putting this unusual spice in their coffee: Lekker! (That’s Dutch for delicious.) Nutmeg is a very strong spice with a very distinct flavor. You don't need a lot of it to make a very impressive impact on your coffee. 

My suggestion is very simple and great for people who like coffee black without any cream, or only a tiny bit sweetened. It adds a delicious spice to your coffee and is especially perfect in the early spring or early fall days. If you like dessert coffees try adding whipped cream or sweetened milk and top it off with unsweetened dark chocolate powder. Those brisk mornings or chilly nights are when nutmeg is such a fantastic taste. Of course, it is great as an iced coffee too. The flavor accompanies liqueurs and dark spirits, like whisky. In Amsterdam we had ours served after dinner with an aged Dutch gin called ‘oude genever’ (old gin). Lekker!

Let me tell you how to prepare the coffee. Regardless of how you make your coffee, it’s best if you have access to the grounds before the filtering process. Use either a fresh piece of nutmeg, in which case you'd have to grate off just a tiny bit, or ground nutmeg you can purchase in any supermarket. Be careful using ground nutmeg because the quantity and distribution may vary depending on how large the shaker holes are or if you need to scoop the spice and measure. I suggest a light dusting of the nutmeg at first. Since the aromatic flavors are released when nutmeg is heated, a tiny bit of nutmeg goes a long way. 

You can put this directly on your grounds or grind it with your beans themselves. This is very good in espresso. Just put a tiny bit. I have made the mistake once or twice of actually putting too much nutmeg. Didn't make it a bad cup of coffee but the nutmeg flavor was very powerful. So again, the key is to add the minimum. You just want the flavor to accentuate your already delicious Mokk-a coffee. So why don't give this a try? Don’t forget to let me know what you think.  Leave your comments below.

I’ll share some other delicious coffee ideas soon. 

That's all for now. I've got to catch my train. 

Bye-bye

Monica