The Mustard in Your Life

When I say “mustard” what do you think of, the greens we eat in the fall or the yellow stuff some of us put on hot dogs? Well, today we are going to talk about mustard the condiment.

There are three colors of mustard seeds: black, brown and white. The most recognizable is made with white seeds mixed with salt, spices and vinegar. Turmeric is added to create the bright yellow color. This is a pure American style created by George T. French and is called “ballpark mustard” by many.

France gave us Dijon mustard. This was the first mustard to be regulated. It is made in Dijon, France and uses brown and black seeds, seasonings and verjuice (the juice of unripe grapes). White wine or wine vinegar or a combination may be used in place of the verjus. True Dijon mustard is made in Dijon, France. Any others should be labeled Dijon-style. We are probably must familiar with the Grey Poupon lable. It was created in France by Maurice Grey and Auguste Poupon, but through a series mergers and sales it is now produced by Kraft Foods. Do you remember the commercial with the Rolls Royces and the passengers passing mustard across?

Another distinct style is Creole mustard. It is put out by several companies has a darker color with a hint of horseradish. The brown seeds are marinated in vinegar then ground to become a hot spicy mustard.

Several countries have their own distinctive mustards for their style of food. German mustard is mild to hot, spicy and mildly sweet. It can be pale yellow to brown and smooth to course ground. Just think of a fat sausage on a good bun with sauerkraut and that spicy mustard (maybe throw in a cold beer for good measure).

English mustard is made from all colors of seeds with a little flour, and turmeric. It is usually bright yellow and extremely hot to the tongue.

Chinese mustard is served as dipping sauce and not a spread. It can be made at home. If you prepare it at home let it rest for 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop, but no longer than an hour before serving. 

There is a wonderful story of a Franciscan friar who helped found the California missions. Father Junipero Serra (1713-1784) brought mustard seeds with him and scattered the seeds as he explored the area and charted for further development. The seeds took root and created a “ribbon of gold” for others to follow. These blooms reappear annually and have become a reminder of the ties California has the Spanish Missions. Each year, in the Napa valley from early February through late March they have the Napa Valley Mustard Festival. The grape vines are at rest and the wild mustard comes up between the rows of grape vines. Check any Napa Valley web site for dates, activities and photos. On the Grey Poupon jar you will see a medallion stating that it was a winner at the Napa Mustard Festival.

TIP: If your recipe calls for dry mustard and you only have prepared mustard, here is the formula to substitute prepared for dry. For one teaspoon of dry mustard use one tablespoon of prepared mustard and vice versa for the other way around. If you are substituting dry for prepared you may need additional moisture in you dish. Just add one teaspoon of water for each teaspoon of dried mustard.   

If you have questions or just want to chat I can be reach at PatsChat@livingston.net