It seems like an interesting irony—in a book about the restructuring of medieval thought into bookish modes that are imperfectly reliant on classical traditions, and that involve a devaluing or a least a sharp distinguishing of vernacular/oral/popular culture from latinate/textual/high culture—that the author should choose to use the phrase “in nuce,” which is not, I think so wildly popularized and recognizable as your “e.g.” or “n.b.”, instead of just “briefly” or even “in a nutshell.” 

From in + nuce the ablative singular of nux meaning “nut”. Literally meaning “in a nut”.

 Adverb

in nuce

1. in a nutshell; briefly stated
2. in the embryonic phase; said of something which is just developing or being developed

It is also interesting (though not ironic, despite what Alanis might say) that he should choose to use this term while I am eating almonds.