Mustard is a famous condiment which considered as king of the spices for its special taste. It is used widely around the world from Europe to the Americas, Africa, Mediterranean and Asia. A Museum in Wisconsin even celebrated National Mustard Day on the first Saturday of August annually for this spice.
Description
Mustard is commonly a sauce which made from the seeds of mustard plants – which are different species of Brassicaceae family. This sauce is a mixture of mustard seeds (could be whole, ground, cracked or bruised) with other ingredients as vinegar, lemon juice, wine, water, salt, fruits, honey or others depend on the types and areas.
It itself is very strong in flavor and could have color from white or yellow, black and dark brown depends on mustard plants. The sauce, after mixed with others ingredients, will have color from bright yellow to dark brown, depends. It also could be taste from sweet to spicy.
This sauce with different ways of preparation is used popularly in many areas in the world. We could easily find it joining in fast foods as salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, corn dogs, hot dogs or sauces, soups, marinades, mayonnaise, vinaigrette and many other types of dishes.
It is also well known as condiment to lunch meat and often served with sushi or raw oysters.
History
The exact time of its appearance was unclearly but the cultivation of this spice may about two millennia BC in India Subcontinent.
The first consuming of mustard as condiment may from the Romans around the first century BC. It at that time was mixed with unfermented grape juice and called “burning must”. It then was joined with many other ingredients to make many recipes and served as glaze to number of dishes.
It then was exported to Western Europe till 10th century, when some monks in Paris could produce mustard by themselves. By the 13 century, Dijon – a city in eastern France had become center of making mustard.
In England, It may be used from the end of 14th century as mustard balls – which were the combination of flour, cinnamon then moistened and rolled and dried to store. These balls could be added vinegar or wine when served.
It was also served in hot dog in the US in the early of the 19 century and then in other types of fast foods and many other dishes.
Till now, mustard has become popular more and more all over the world. With numbers of ways of combination from different areas, mustard branch in the world has been expanded to thousand. You could also create your own branch of it by preparing it at home by yourself.
