If you’re thinking this pale green fruit is sweet and unassuming, think again. By the time she turns soft and golden, she will pop open to reveal her true personality and it’s rather punk rock.

First of all, there’s the vivid red mace which seems to slither and snake around the fruit’s dark inner shell. Despite the strange appearance, people try and eat mace both for it’s mild flavor and vivid color.

Then, once you break open the hard casing, there’s the most floral fragrant goodness your nose (and mouth) have ever sniffed (and tasted). This is nutmeg, the spice we so affectionately use in grandma’s apple pie and in recipes like homemade nutmeg ice cream.  If you think that’s sweet, think again. Too much can make your tongue go numb, or even kill you.

I told you, this is one tough broad.

Finally, well… she proves exactly how tough she is – by allowing her dried, cracked, hard husks to be laid out in paths, like gravel, for pedestrians to enjoy.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Sometimes in life we have to lay down our dried, cracked, hard husks and so we can step forward in a new direction.

Have you done this lately?  Walk like a Grenadian.

PS. If you’d like to see more pictures of nutmeg paths, there are a few here, by Julia Hollenbeck. There are also other pictures of Grenada.

Photos: Joe Ravi, Kris, Dodo