Mustard A Cure-All And A Condiment

Mustard has been used for everything from curing scorpion bites in the sixth century B.C., to symbolizing St. Matthew’s view of religious faith (“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed”), to lending its name to a sharp-smelling poisonous gas during World War I.

According to old folklore, mustard can keep evil spirits out of a house, cure toothaches and clear up congestion of the lungs.

In medieval Europe, peasants chewed mustard seed to mask the off-flavors of spoiled foods that couldn’t be wasted, as well as to enhance their bland diets. In 1720, an Englishwoman named Mrs. Clement developed a commercial method of grinding mustard seeds into a fine powder, making fine-textured mustards a popular condiment.

Unlike most spices, mustard develops its taste only after the seeds are crushed and the powder becomes mixed with liquid.

White mustard seeds, also called yellow, have a mild flavor. They are typically used for making American mustards. Black or brown seeds, with exceedingly pungent flavor, are used in Dijon mustard.

Most commercial mustards consist of a blend of mustard seeds. Fine-textured, creamy mustards are most common. Coarse, whole-grain mustards contain whole mustard seeds.

The kind of liquid added is almost as important as the seed itself. Adding water to mustard powder creates hot mustard, such as in Chinese hot mustard. Vinegar and wine weaken the enzyme reaction, producing a milder mustard flavor.