Did the 15th century English eat nutmeg?
3 Answers
- Anonymous2 months ago
No.
It would have been very rare and very expensive and only came from secluded Banda islands in the Mallacca Straights in modern day Indonesia.
Only the very rich could afford it if it ever became available in small amounts via Arab traders. Even in Istanbul it was rare.
During the Medieval era, nutmeg was brought to Europe by Arabic merchants through the Mediterranean regions of Europe and then distributed to the rest of Europe by the Venetians
The spice mace also came from the same plant.
In the 17th century onwards it became more available and cheaper, but in the 15th and 16th centuries it was an exotic luxury very rarely seen in Europe.
- Anonymous2 months ago
Yes, it was a popular spice in the middle ages for those who could afford it, but it became even more popular in the 1600 and 1700s when it was often the star spice of a dish. In the middle ages is was always used with a mixture of other spices, which we still do.