The National Mustard Museum moved to its current location in 2009. Before that, it was located in Mouth Horeb, Wisconsin. The museum was founded by Barry Levenson after he started collecting mustards in 1986 while working as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin. In 1991, Levenson abandoned his law career to pursue his passion of collecting mustards and mustard memorabilia full time.
The Egyptians first introduced mustard seeds to the Romans, who ground it and mixed it with fermented grape juice. They called this mixture a “must”, hence the name “mustard”. I've always felt sorry for the yellow condiment.
It has always had to play 'second fiddle' to the more popular ketchup. But, actually, mustard is very rich in history and has many uses that do not involve being spread onto a sandwich.
Mustard can be mixed with lemon juice and honey to soothe a sore throat, spread a thin layer of light colored mustard to create a wonderful face mask or spread a generous amount over a burn to quickly take the pain away. For you gardeners, rub some mustard on a pie plate and hang it in your garden. The critters will mistake the mustard smell for the smell of sweaty garden workers, making them stay away from your plants. For the fisher-person, by pouring a mixture of ground mustard powder and warm water over a small area of soil, you can flush out many night crawlers for your next fishing trip.
Mustard also has the honor of being mentioned many times in the Bible. In The New International Version, Matthew 17:20 says “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
So, if you are unable to travel to Wisconsin this weekend to celebrate this wonderful condiment, how about we just try some of these recipes featuring our favorite yellow condiment.
PARMESAN TOMATOES
•4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
•4 tablespoons mayonnaise
•4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
•1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
•1 tablespoon brown mustard
•1 teaspoon dried oregano
•salt and pepper to taste
•1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
•1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, parmesan, Dijon mustard, and brown mustard. Season with oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Use a spoon to top each tomato slice with a small amount of the mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella , and then top with parsley. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
SPICY HONEY MUSTARD PORK ROAST
•3 pounds pork roast
•1/4 cup honey
•2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•2 tablespoons black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
•1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Score 1/2 inch slits in your roast and place in baking dish. Combine honey, mustard, pepper, thyme, and salt in small bowl; mix until well blended. Brush mixture over roast, working well into slits. Bake roast in preheated oven for one hour. Remove roast from oven and flip in pan. Brush remaining honey sauce over roast. Return to oven and continue baking for 45 minutes to an hour or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (75 degrees C). Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE
•2 tablespoons cornstarch
•1 teaspoons dried thyme
•1 teaspoon paprika
•1 teaspoon salt
•1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
•1 egg
•2 tablespoons water
•4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•3 tablespoons cooking oil
Sauce-
•1 cup mayonnaise
•2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
•1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
•1/2 teaspoon sugar
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
•pinch of cayenne
Combine the thyme, paprika, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Mix well. Whisk together the cornstarch, egg and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and then into the spice mixture. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (Additional 5-6 minutes longer). While chicken cooks, make the sauce by combining the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, parsley, a pinch of cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Mix well. Serve the chicken with the mustard sauce on the side for dipping or cover top of chicken with sauce.
NEXT WEEK—Dreaming The Dream
Remember......Life is short. Eat Dessert first!!
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