Nutmeg

Chinese: 肉豆蔻末; Malay: Buah Pala; French: noix muscade;
German: Muskatnuss

A Short Description:
A nutmeg fruit has a hard skin and is covered with a red flower called mace. Both the fruit and mace are dried. Mace is less fragrant than the nutmeg fruit. They are sold and used whole or in powdered form. Used as a flavouring in food.

History: In the sixth century, nutmegs were brought by Arab merchants to Constantinople. In 1796, The British East India Company brought the nutmeg tree to Penang, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and most notably Grenada.

Culinary uses: of the nutmeg include both sweet and savoury dishes. Grated nutmeg is added to beef, mutton, pork, lamb, curries dishes, pasta and soups. Used also extensively in desserts and cocktails-- pies, puddings, custards, cookies and spice cakes. It combines well with many cheeses, and is included in soufflés and cheese sauces. It adds a spicy flavour to vegetable dishes such as cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, beans onions, broccoli and mashed potatoes.
Once it is ground, nutmeg soon loses the oils which give its flavour and taste, so grating fresh nutmeg is recommended to achieve the full benefit of the fresh oils. A nutmeg grater should be a part of basic equipment in every kitchen, but if you don't have one, use the finest blade on a larger hand-held manual grater. The difference between fresh nutmeg and ground is like night and day.

Storage: Both whole fresh nutmegs, as well as ground nutmeg and mace should be kept in a tightly-sealed jar or container in a cool, dark place.
One whole nutmeg grated equals 2 to 3 teaspoons of ground nutmeg.

Nutmeg may be toxic:
Nutmeg contains a substance called myristicin, a narcotic with very unpleasant toxic side effects if taken in large quantities. Ingestion of small amounts of nutmeg is harmless to the body, however the consumption of one to three whole nutmegs (in excess of one teaspoon ground) can cause wild hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, and/or circulatory collapse within one to six hours after consumption. Very large doses can be fatal. Although nutmeg is said to counteract stomach distress from gas, do not try any home remedies without first consulting your physician. It is also an astringent and stimulant, as well as a purported aphrodisiac.

Sources:
home cooking
theepicentre

P/S: To OrdinaryGarry, this post/answer can help you to solve your question. :-)