{"id":138,"date":"2024-03-03T20:18:15","date_gmt":"2024-03-03T20:18:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/?p=138"},"modified":"2024-03-03T20:18:15","modified_gmt":"2024-03-03T20:18:15","slug":"a-flight-of-mustards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/03\/a-flight-of-mustards\/","title":{"rendered":"A Flight of Mustards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By Heinrich von Holstein<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Displayed at Atlantia KASF, 3\/2\/24<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-140\" src=\"http:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/KASF-Mustard-Flight.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2040\" height=\"1536\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mustard is an ancient spice with written history going back millenia and usage in food likely much much longer.\u00a0 Mustard as a condiment in Europe can be traced back to ancient Roman texts, several of which contain recipes for ground mustard seeds mixed with wine, verjus, or vinegar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The modern word &#8220;mustard&#8221; comes from the Latin term &#8220;mustum ardens&#8221; which means &#8220;burning must&#8221;, likely referring to mustard powder mixed with grape must to make the condiment.\u00a0 However, this association seems to have been made in Medieval France rather than the ancient Romans, who simply referred to mustard by the name &#8220;sinapis&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honey-mustard sauce specifically seems to be an absolutely timeless pairing.\u00a0 I have been able to find a honey-mustard (or sugar-sweetened) recipe in nearly every culture that produced culinary writings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What follows is my recipe for basic home-made mustard as well as five period mustard sauces from various times and regions.\u00a0 I have ordered them roughly by complexity of ingredients and flavor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic Mustard<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is my basic home-made mustard, which I have used as a starting point for several of the following recipes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I use a blend of yellow seeds and brown seeds because I feel it is a better balance of heat and mustard flavor.\u00a0 I have not seen a period source that recommends a blend, but also many of them do not specify which type of seeds at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also while there are some period recipes that prescribe soaking the seeds before grinding, most of them grind the seeds while dry, which is probably easier.\u00a0 However, for a modern food processor or blender, it works much better pre-soaked.\u00a0 The heat level of the mustard is also very consistent with this method, whereas dry powder seems like it can lose its potency from both air and moisture exposure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mix seeds in a ratio of 2 parts yellow to 1 part brown in a large jar.\u00a0 Pour in vinegar, about twice as much by volume.\u00a0 Soak at least overnight.\u00a0 Seeds will expand, add more vinegar to cover if necessary.\u00a0 Then put everything in a food processor or blender until desired consistency, adding more vinegar if needed.\u00a0 Can be used immediately, but best after a few days in a refrigerator.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Palladius Mustard (4th Century CE, Rome)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opus agricultura, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Rutilius Taurus Aemilianus Palladius:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Senapis semen ad modam sextarii unius et semis redigere curabis in puluerem, cui mellis pondo quinque, olei hispani unam libram, aceti acris unum sextarium miscebis et tritis omnibus diligenter uteris.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grind one sextarium of mustard seeds with five pounds of honey and one of Hispanic oil, diluting with one sextarium of strong vinegar. Grind diligently everything together and use.[1]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a wonderfully simple early recipe for honey-mustard sauce.\u00a0 I&#8217;m not sure how much a &#8220;sextarium&#8221; is, but an equal part mustard seeds and vinegar by volume makes sense.\u00a0 I tend to mix in honey at 1 part honey for 2 parts mustard paste.\u00a0 However since this recipe also includes the typically Roman ingredient olive oil, I used a little less.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honey<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extra virgin olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mix 2 parts mustard (as Basic Mustard above) and a bit less than 1 part honey.\u00a0 Mix in a little olive oil until desired texture.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lombard Mustard (1390 CE, England)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Forme of Cury:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take mustard seed and waisshe it, &amp; drye it in an ovene. Grynde it drye; sarse it thurgh a sarse. Clarifie hony with wyne &amp; vyneger &amp; stere it wel togedre and make it thikke ynowgh; &amp; whan thou wilt spende therof make it thynne with wyne. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[2]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here we have another honey-mustard sauce.\u00a0 This one is specifically supposed to be thin in consistency and the wine very much influences the character of the sauce.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honey<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Red wine<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mix 2 parts basic mustard, 1 part honey, and thin with red wine.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Catalan Mustard (1520 CE, Spain)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Libre del Coch<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, by Ruperto de Nola:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol start=\"153\">\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 MUSTARD (124)<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MOSTAZA<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must take mustard seed, and clean it of the dust and the soil and the stones, and grind it well in a mortar; and when it is ground, strain it through a cloth strainer; and then take the mustard powder and put it in a mortar with a crustless piece of bread soaked in meat broth, and grind it all together; and when it is well-ground, blend it with a little bit of lean broth without fat which is well-salted; and when it is blended in a good manner so that it is not too thin, take honey which is good, and melted on the fire, and cast it in the mortar and stir it well until it is well-mixed, and prepare dishes.\u00a0 Some cast a little vinegar in the broth; you can add peeled, toasted almonds, ground-up with the mustard.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> [3]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This recipe is interesting in that it uses broth as the main liquid for the mustard instead of vinegar.\u00a0 Unlike most of my other recipes I use powdered yellow mustard instead of my base blend.\u00a0 Without vinegar or black seeds it is a much milder mustard sauce.\u00a0 For this specific batch I substitute vegetable broth for meat broth so that it will keep longer and be suitable for any vegetarians\/vegans who wish to try it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds, ground<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bread crumbs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vegetable broth<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honey<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soak the bread in broth and mix\/mush until more or less dissolved.\u00a0 Then mix in the mustard until it thickens and absorbs the liquid.\u00a0 Then thin it out again with the honey.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caliph&#8217;s Mustard (9th Century CE, Middle East)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I encountered a description of this dish on the Eat Like A Sultan blog [4].\u00a0 Unfortunately I have not found access to a translation of the original source.\u00a0 As such, I have only the blog&#8217;s description to go off of:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This delightful recipe is attributed to the Abbasid caliph al-Wathiq bi-\u2018llah (\u2018He who trusts in God\u2019, 842-847CE), who apparently also wrote a recipe book. It is roast chicken smothered in a sauce made with mustard, sugar, (ground) walnuts and asafoetida. Serve decorated with rue and pomegranate seeds. [4]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is an amazing sauce for chicken.\u00a0 The ground walnuts help mellow out the mustard a bit and then the asafetida (a Roman spice that continued to be used in the Middle East and India) adds a pungent depth to the flavor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ground walnuts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sugar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asafetida<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grind walnuts and mix in with the base mustard, about 2 parts mustard 1 part walnuts.\u00a0 May need additional vinegar to thin out to a sauce consistency. Then add sugar and asafoetida to taste.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digby Mustard (1669 CE, England)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby, Kt Opened, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by Kenelm Digby:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make Mustard<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way of making Mustard is this: Take of the best Mustard-seed (which is black) for example, a quart. Dry it gently in an Oven, and beat it to a subtle powder, and searse it. Then mingle well strong Wine-vinegar with it, so much that it be pretty liquid, for it will dry with keeping. Put to this a little Pepper beaten small (white is the best) at discretion, as about a good pugil, and put a good spoonful of Sugar to it (which is not to make it taste sweet, but rather quick, and to help the fermentation) lay a good Onion in the bottom, quartered if you will, and a race of Ginger scraped and bruised; and stir it often with an Horseradish root cleansed, which let always lie in the pot till it have lost its virtue, then take a new one. This will keep long, and grow better for a while. It is not good till after a month, that it hath fermented a while.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some think it will be the quicker, if the seed be ground with fair water, instead of Vinegar, putting store of Onions in it. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[5]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though technically this source is post-SCA-period, it is plausible that this recipe is much older, as written recipes tend to be.\u00a0 There aren&#8217;t any ingredients or techniques that weren&#8217;t known centuries earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While I have made this mustard following the source recipe exactly, that process is very time-consuming and yields a rather thin and watery product.\u00a0 Instead, I prefer to blend all the ingredients together.\u00a0 It will finish fermenting in mere days and, to my palette, has an identical flavor.\u00a0 I also prefer my basic blend over the recommended pure black seeds, which can be exceedingly harsh.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recipe<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown mustard seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Onion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh horseradish<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh ginger<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ground white pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sugar<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peel and chop your onion, horseradish, and ginger.\u00a0 Add to food processor along with base mustard, ground white pepper, and sugar.\u00a0 Blend until desired consistency.\u00a0 Do not refrigerate, leave at room temperature for 1-3 days for fermentation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[1] <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opus agricultura, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rutilius Taurus Aemilianus Palladius, 4~5thC CE<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation: Historical Italian Cooking<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/historicalitaliancooking.home.blog\/english\/recipes\/ancient-roman-mustard\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/historicalitaliancooking.home.blog\/english\/recipes\/ancient-roman-mustard\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[2] <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Forme of Cury, compiled in 1390, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The master cooks of King Richard II<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[3]\u00a0 <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Libre del Coch<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Ruperto de Nola<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.florilegium.org\/files\/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS\/Guisados1-art.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.florilegium.org\/files\/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS\/Guisados1-art.html\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[4] <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Caliph&#8217;s Mustard Chicken<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat Like A Sultan, Daniel Newman<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/eatlikeasultan.com\/the-caliphs-mustard-chicken\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">http:\/\/eatlikeasultan.com\/the-caliphs-mustard-chicken\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[5] <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby, Kt Opened, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Kenelm Digby, 1669<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edited by Anne Macdonell<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/cache\/epub\/16441\/pg16441-images.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/cache\/epub\/16441\/pg16441-images.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Heinrich von Holstein Displayed at Atlantia KASF, 3\/2\/24 Introduction Mustard is an ancient spice with written history going back millenia and usage in food likely much much longer.\u00a0 Mustard as a condiment in Europe can be traced back to ancient Roman texts, several of which contain recipes for ground mustard seeds mixed with wine,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/03\/a-flight-of-mustards\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A Flight of Mustards<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recipes","tag-mustard","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":141,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138\/revisions\/141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heinrichvonholstein.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}