mustard

Making Mustard

There are three types of mustard seed. Yellow mustard seeds have the least heat and are what we typically find on the grocery store shelves, brown mustard has a bit more bite than yellow mustard and can be purchased in health food and specialty stores. Black mustard is the spiciest and also the smallest seed. It must be hand harvested and is harder to come across. Indian markets usually carry it.

Making mustard is easy, just grind up the seeds coarsely or fine, to your liking (some people have a dedicated coffee grinder for this purpose. Do not use a coffee grinder you plan on using again for coffee! A mortar and pestle, though more labor intensive, gets the job done.) and add in your liquid and flavorings. Mustard powders can also be used to make mustard but bear in mind they will have a more intense heat, as there is no heat in the hull of the mustard and in the powders the hulls are removed. The mustards most Americans are accustomed to contain many seasonings and are usually mixed with white vinegar, wine vinegar or cider vinegar.

One of my favorite varieties is a simple combination of yellow and brown seeds, coarsely ground, some apple cider vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper. Don't be afraid to try many flavorings, though. I tried adding some orange marmalade and balsamic to the same recipe and it was tremendous.

I recommend getting out several small prep bowls or jars, adding some seeds to each and combining them with different liquids and seasonings. Fruits, herbs, spices, beer, wine, vinegars, juices, jams... look around your kitchen and get creative. Let your concoctions sit for a good time to allow the flavors to marry, then taste test and see which you like best.

XO, Debbie