We have a little nut tree!
by Frankie Meehan
photo:Frankie Meehan
On 22 May we celebrated our fourth International Green Wave
Day. Students from the “40 Trees for 40 Years” environmental service planted a
nutmeg tree (Myristica fragrans) in
the small island in front of the Communications and Marketing Office.
The nutmeg is remarkable for producing not just one, but two,
popular spices: nutmeg and mace. The egg-shaped seed has a lacy, reddish
covering known as mace in its dried form. Both spices are sweetish and
aromatic. If you are a fan of the local dessert, ais kacang, you may be interested to know that the Penang version
of the dish is topped with shavings of nutmeg rind. Even Scottish haggis
contains both nutmeg and mace.
Until the mid-19th century nutmeg trees grew only
in the Banda islands of Indonesia. They have since spread throughout the region;
indeed, Orchard Road got its name from the nutmeg, pepper and fruit plantations
that dominated the area about 80 years ago. Next time you pass the Ion Orchard shopping
mall, look out for a lovely bronze sculpture, Nutmeg and Mace, by Kumari Nahappan.
