Mustard generally comes in one or two flavors for most people. August 7 is National Mustard Day and a good time to try new mustards. Try using mustard in a new way, or even make your own mustard.
Info on mustard
There is a mustard plant that gives off mustard seeds. Four seeds are made with this plant. There is white mustard, yellow mustard, brown mustard and black mustard. A liquid is mixed with the crushed seeds to make a kind of paste. Yellow mustard tends to be yellow mustard seeds that are crushed and mixed with vinegar and tumeric. You can make your own mustard by simply getting some mustard seeds out of the spices aisle then crushing and mixing them with vinegar and whatever else you need to, to get a certain flavor. Be warned that mustard made at home is usually spicy.
Why National Mustard Day is special
Learning about different mustards is what happens on National Mustard day. Mustard is an antibacterial product, meaning that it can be stored outside the fridge. An emulsifier can combine oil and water, as mustard can. Unstable sauces like Béarnaise can have curdling stopped with some dry mustard powder. Each year, $ 300 million are spent on getting mustard.
Bringing National Mustard Day home
Even if you aren’t too adventurous in the kitchen, you can still celebrate National Mustard Day. Mustard can do more than be on a sandwich. Try mixing your preferred mustard — prepared or homemade — into a variety of new treats. You can try these:
Using honey mustard
Mix equal parts brown, Dijon or deli mustard and honey for a dipping sauce. Stir in a touch of olive or canola oil to make a honey mustard salad dressing.
Mustard on the grill
Start by mixing together some salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard seed. When grilling, this makes a great sauce for rubbing on to marinate chicken, beef or even Portobello mushrooms.
