The outer layer of the nutmeg seed is the source of the
mace spice. It may be found in both savory and sweet recipes and has a toasty, sweet taste with undertones of cinnamon and
nutmeg spice. Mace comes in two forms: whole and ground. The thin, lacy, reddish-orange fibers that make up whole mace are extracted from nutmeg seeds and then dried. These fibers are ground into a fine powder to create ground mace. Mace is often used in preparing meat meals, stews, and sauces, as well as baked products, custards, and fruit desserts. It is also often used as a component in spice mixtures like pumpkin pie spice and garam masala.