Nutmeg.
—Nutmeg is the seed of Myristica fragrans. The seed is sent into commerce with a thin coating of lime, which, of course, must be removed before the nutmeg is used. It is principally used as the unground nut and by grating it into the food which is to be flavored at the time of use. The nut thus retains its flavor much better than when all ground at once and kept for some time. There are many varieties of nutmeg on the market, the principal ones being the Macassar, Papua, male, and long nutmegs. These are all the dried seeds of the Myristica argentea.
Pepper.
—Pepper is one of the most important of the principal aromatic condimental substances. There are many standard varieties which are known to the trade and which are derived from distinct botanical species. The principal varieties are black pepper, white pepper, and paprika pepper. Black pepper is the dried immature berry of Piper nigrum L. White pepper is the dried mature berry of Piper nigrum L. from which the outer and the inner coatings of the seed have been removed. Paprika pepper is a red pepper of very mild aromatic qualities grown chiefly in Hungary and in Spain.
Cayenne pepper is a very active aromatic red pepper which is the dried fruit of Capsicum frutescens L. or Capsicum baccatum L.
The red peppers, therefore, may be divided into two distinct classes, namely, cayenne or hot, acrid pepper and the paprika or mild-flavored pepper. There is another variety of pepper known on the market as long pepper which is the dried fruit of Piper longum L.
Saffron
is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus L.
Sage
is a common garden plant which is very extensively used for condimental purposes, belonging to the species Salvia officinalis L. Sage is used very extensively by the housewife in the preparation of domestic sausage, and is perhaps more commonly used in meat products of this description than in other foods.