What can I use instead of mace?

[janx]

Am making a nigella recipe - split pea soup and frankfurters and been to 4 shops already - no one sells mace...any ideas? I don't think I have ever used it

[theyoungvisiter]

sainsburys usually stock it - but it's a little like cloves, more peppery though. Does the recipe call for other spices? If so I would just leave it out. I doubt you'll notice too much difference.

[madlentileater]

nutmeg.
mace is the outer shell of nutmeg.

[theyoungvisiter]

is it really madlentileater? Well well, you learn something new every day.

I could imagine nutmeg would be a good substitute though.

Nigella loves mace though, so if you plan to cook other recipes from her books it's worth hunting some out.

[thumbwitch]

look here - you could use nutmeg instead, with a dash more pepper.

Or perhaps allspice? Would probably work just as well.

[madlentileater]

I think mace has a slightly lighter taste than nutmeg. I've seen it in it's unground form, like yellowy orange strands, hard, that would fit around the actual nutmeg.

[theyoungvisiter]

oo, that's not like the mace I've seen.

The mace I have is in little reddish shards, like bashed up tree bark. Will try to google a picture.

[theyoungvisiter]

I've googled and it looks like you can get red and [http://www.deliaonline.com/Images/originals/mace-19506.jpg yellow]] mace, but the stuff I've seen in jars has always been kind of reddy brown, so maybe it goes brown when it dries or summat.

[theyoungvisiter]

Oops, try again:

red and {[http://www.deliaonline.com/Images/originals/mace-19506.jpg yellow]] mace

Can't find a picture of the shards, they are obv not very photogenic!

here we have the product on sale though

[theyoungvisiter]

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

yellow mace

dammit

[madlentileater]

yup, that's what I've seen.
I use it once a year, for christmas cake!