Nutmeg is one of the classic fall spices, infusing those pies, cakes, cookies and beverages we love with a sweet, exotic flavor. To get the strongest, freshest hit of nutmeg, our kitchen testers grate whole nutmeg just before adding it to a recipe.

Purchased ground nutmeg is convenient, but it only takes seconds to grate your own. Plus, spices with a higher oil content, such as nutmeg, lose their flavor more quickly once they’re ground. “Whole spices are virtually immortal,” says Courtney Allen Nathan, marketing director at Vanns Spices. Ground spices, on the other hand, only last about a year. “The rule goes back to your nose,” Nathan says, explaining that the nutmeg should be tossed when its aroma diminishes.

You can use a nutmeg grater or Microplane grater to grind whole nutmeg. Nathan recommends rotating the whole spice to grate a new surface every time it’s used. You can reuse the grated piece of nutmeg for about a year after you start grating it or until you can’t hang on to it anymore, storing it in a sealed container.

—Jennifer Buege