Nutmeg is a warm brown spice. It begins as the hard seed of a tree that grows in hot countries. People dry that seed, then grate it or grind it into a fine powder — and that powder is what most of us mean in the kitchen.

Nutmeg肉豆蔻is a warm brown spice是一種帶暖棕色的香料。It它begins as the hard seed of a tree原本是一種樹的硬種子that grows in hot countries生長在炎熱的國家。People人們dry that seed把這種子曬乾then grate it or grind it into a fine powder然後磨成細粉 — and that powder is what most of us mean in the kitchen而我們在廚房裡講的nutmeg大多就是指這種粉。

The smell arrives before the taste: a little sweet, a little woody, the kind of scent that belongs to milk desserts, pumpkin pie, white sauce, and a winter drink with a dusting on top. A pinch is plenty; cooks treat it like a strong perfume, not like sugar.

The smell arrives before the taste香味會先於味道出現：a little sweet, a little woody有點甜、有點木質調the kind of scent that belongs to milk desserts, pumpkin pie, white sauce, and a winter drink with a dusting on top是那種屬於奶製甜點、南瓜派、白醬，以及冬天飲料上灑一點粉的香氣。A pinch一小撮is plenty就足夠了cooks treat it like a strong perfume廚師把它當成濃烈的香水來用not like sugar而不是當糖用。

The whole dried seed is also called nutmeg before anyone grinds it. Though actually, the bright red lace that wraps the seed is a different spice, mace — same fruit, not the same jar.

The whole dried seed整顆曬乾的種子is also called nutmeg在還沒磨之前before anyone grinds it也叫做nutmeg。Though actually不過其實the bright red lace that wraps the seed包住種子的那層鮮紅色網狀外膜is a different spice是另一種香料, mace（肉豆蔻皮） — same fruit, not the same jar同一種果實，但不是同一罐香料。

The English name is an old partial translation of a Latin phrase meaning “musky nut”: the nut half is real English, the second half came through medieval Latin and French. It is named like a nut, but it is a seed, not an almond or a peanut.

The English name這個英文名字is an old partial translation of a Latin phrase meaning “musky nut”是一句意思是「麝香堅果」的拉丁片語的舊式部分翻譯: the nut half is real English前半的nut是道地英文the second half came through medieval Latin and French後半則是經由中世紀拉丁文和法文傳來的。It它is named like a nut雖然名字裡有個nut(堅果)but it is a seed但其實是種子not an almond or a peanut而不是杏仁或花生。

One more loose use, outside the kitchen: in football, to nutmeg someone is to put the ball between their legs. Same spelling, a joke with the spice, not a new flavour.

One more loose use另外還有一個比較鬆散的用法outside the kitchen是在廚房之外: in football在足球場上to nutmeg someone把球從對方兩腿之間穿過去這個動作is to put the ball between their legs就叫做nutmeg someone。Same spelling拼法一樣a joke with the spice是拿這個香料的名字開的玩笑not a new flavour不是什麼新口味。