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Mustard Day
"A tale without love is like beef without mustard: insipid."
~ Anatole France (1844-1924)
In springtime, fields of wild yellow mustard light up the landscape, especially across North America. These golden blooms are a favorite with foragers—not just for their beauty, but because every part of the plant is edible! Still, it’s the seeds of certain varieties that have earned a special place in kitchens around the world, thanks to their bold, peppery flavor.
Mustard has been around for centuries. In the past, it was made at home by grinding the seeds with a mortar and pestle, then mixing them with vinegar, wine, or even honey, along with whatever spices were on hand. Some royal households and monasteries took it seriously enough to appoint an official “mustardius”—someone whose sole job was to gather mustard seeds and prepare the condiment.
Do you have a family favorite? Maybe the horseradish kick of Tewkesbury mustard, famously enjoyed in Shakespeare’s time? Or the smooth elegance of Grey Poupon? Perhaps you’re more partial to the firepower of Atomic mustard, or something small-batch and local like Mendocino or Arran mustard.
Mustard’s appeal isn’t limited to the kitchen, either. Its vivid yellow blossoms have inspired everything from folk remedies to fashion—and even tartan. This design, created by a designer in South Eastern Wisconsin, was made to celebrate his family heritage and the beauty of the wild mustard flower that blooms across the prairie landscapes of southern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois.
And if you know someone with the last name Mustard, they might have deeper roots than you’d expect. That surname is now thought to be one of several aliases adopted by members of Clan Gregor after the name MacGregor was outlawed in the 1600s! The Clan Gregor Society has even launched a DNA project to help trace modern MacGregors who carry names like Mustard instead. So next time you think of Colonel Mustard of the 20th century well-loved game of Clue, don’t picture him in the library with a candlestick—imagine him rather in the glen, with a claymore ... and a side of mustard, of course.😉 💛 🤎 🧡 💜 💚 💙 ⚔️
The brightly coloured mustard plants are any of several plant species of Brassica and Sinapis. The whole, ground, cracked, or bruised mustard seeds are mixed with water, salt, lemon juice, or other liquids, and sometimes other flavorings and spices, to create a paste or sauce ranging in color from bright yellow to dark brown.
A favourite condiment, mustard dates back to the Romans who would combine the seeds with unfermented grape juice to create what they called “burning juice”, or the Latin mustum ardens.
The popularity of mustard grew in Rome and swept into their conquered territories. In the Burgundy region of France, most famous for its wines, the town of Dijon embraced mustard and began making its own variety, substituting the unfermented grape juice with vinegar. To this day, Dijon, France is still known as the mustard capital of the world for its unique and sharp tasting Dijon mustard.
Yellow mustard didn’t come along until the turn of the 20th century. In 1884, two brothers by the name of Robert and George French bought a flour mill in Rochester, New York after their previous mill burned down. In 1904, George began experimenting with “creamy salad mustard”. He added turmeric to the traditional recipe for added presentation and color. Yellow mustard premiered at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 as a condiment for hot dogs and has become a classic pairing ever since.
This official tartan was designed to share the beauty of great expanses of the Wild Mustard flower, a feature of the prairie landscape in South Eastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois.
For more on the many varieties and styles of the condiment, click the mustard in flower.