mustard. homemade pantry.

mustard.

I plan on starting a mustard revolution. A huge upheval in our culture, where mustard, with its nostril burning pungency and tangy burst of flavor, will rise to the top of the condiment hierarchy and rule the table-side arena. 

So I really appreciate mustard. 

And there's a mustard for everyone. No one is left mustardless in the mustard kingdom. Honey mustard for the sweeter crowd, super spicy horseradish mustard for those strong at heart, or champagne mustard for impressing those at a mustard gala. Yellow mustard is for those new or shy to the mustard world and those folks need your help in the good cause of real good mustard. 


Where does mustard come from. I am always asking where things come from and how they are made to be the things we love. Even simple products that we call staples in our homes have a story from the agricultural field from whence they came or the shiny metallic processing warehouses that crushed and stirred them to become what we know. Modest mustard. its just mustard. 

young wild mustard leaves

Mustard, the condiment, comes from mainly mustard seeds, which are the seeds of the mustard plant, a member of the Brassica family. The flowers and leaves of the mustard plant, wild or cultivated, are very much edible, and usually pack that nose burning punch as the condiment it lends its flavor to. The three most prominent species of mustard used are Brassica nigra, Brassica juncea or Brassica hirta. Brassica nigra produces black mustard seeds, Brassica juncea yields brown seeds, and Brassica hirta produces yellow seeds which are used to make milder mustards.

The English name mustard comes from the latin mustem ardens, meaning 'burning must,' referring to the spicy heat of the crushed mustard seeds and the French practice of mixing the ground seeds with must, the young, unfermented juice of wine grapes. 

Ancient Greeks used mustard seeds first as a medicinal plant. Some used the seeds for scorpion stings, and later for toothaches and other ailments. Culinary uses of mustard came from the Romans, who mixed the seeds with wine into a paste similar to our modern day condiment. The mustard seed was then spread throughout the rest of Europe through their conquests. Thus the start of the mustard revolution began. 

The mustard seed is a prominent reference for those of the Christian faith, exemplifying something small and insignificant, which when planted, grows in strength and power. Sounds like the seeds of a revolution. In California, Father Junipero Serra, who established the California Mission system, was well known to have sprinkled the seeds of the mustard plant along the El Camino Real as a golden path to trace his journey throughout California. Way better than breadcrumbs if you ask me. 

So now since we feel cultured in our ethnography of the mustard seed, let's make some. 

Making mustard is a fairly simple process, and you can really get the mustard flavor that I feel is often mellowed out too much in commercially made mustard. 

Spicy Homemade Mustard

Makes about 1 cup.

Prep Time: 12 hours

Active time: 15 min

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons yellow mustard seed

3 tablespoons brown mustard seeds

1/2 cup mustard powder 

3 tablespoons vinegar (cider, white wine or sherry) 

1/2 cup white wine or water 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 tsp ground turmeric (for color)

Optional additions:
2 tablespoons honey for honey mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs (oregano, basil, chives, parsley, etc.)

Procedure:

Grind the whole mustard seeds for a few seconds in a spice or coffee grinder, or by hand with a mortar and pestle. Keep them mostly whole to mix in with the mustard powder.

Pour the semi-ground seeds into a bowl and add the salt and mustard powder. If using, add one of the optional ingredients.

Pour in the vinegar and wine or water, then stir well. When everything is incorporated, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge. Wait at least 12 hours before using. Mustard made this way will last several months in the fridge.