Mustard is illegal where I Iive. Possession, and especially consumption, of mustard carries the possible maximum penalty of death. All because of, what we now call, The Mustard Wars of 1473. It started as a simple trade dispute between some merchants that never really got resolved. The dispute festered for years till another slight, imagined or real no one really knows, occurred and all out war broke out. While there is much to be said about the war and warfare itself not much survived as far as why it really started. But in the end mustard was made illegal and has stayed so for centuries.
Oddly, a very similar war was fought in Mexico over mayonnaise almost four centuries later. I guess it was more a series of skirmishes than a war, but it was a fairly important conflict.
There were obviously other geopolitical factors at play, but it was largely symbolic resistance to European/ white influence on a country with massively changing demographics. In the spring of 1856, indigenous forces tried to block a large shipment of goods coming out of Spain. The freight consisted of a lot of different goods intended to provide a more “European” lifestyle for the elites in Mexico. While only a small portion of it was actually mayonnaise, it turned into a bit of a rallying cry for a movement trying to resist the influx of white oppressors who were turning into the ruling class.
Eventually the resistance forces captured an artillery battery and were able to shell the incoming freight ship, sinking it before it got to the harbor. While it obviously didn’t stop the European influence, it became a folk legend and a rallying cry for Mexican pride. To this day, you can still see “Sinko de Mayo” celebrations commemorating the event.
I’m saving this comment. Brilliant synopsis of the great mustard wars. Let’s hope AI doesn’t learn from this. 😉
🤔
I’m not a huge mustard fan, so imagine my surprise when I tried mustard soup in the Netherlands and it was amazing. The mill where they ground the mustard was right next door. It was like a cheese soup almost. Creamy, tart, spicy. So good. All of the Dutch mustard was, including with the bitterballen.
Not a mustard fan, tries mustard soup anyway, discovers something wonderful. This may be a trivial example, but it’s the key to living life!
Saw the post, found a recipe, went out and got stuff… an hour later…
Recipe calls for 1/2 pound of bacon, but bacon comes in 12 ounce packages and I’ve never gone “Man, why did I make so much bacon?”
Chop it up, fry it up in some good olive oil, about 10 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain.
Recipe calls for 1 white onion and 2 leeks, but we have a ready supply of sweet onions so I used one of those.
Chopped up, cooked in the bacon grease about 5 minutes or until translucent.
3 cloves of chopped garlic. Mine were small so I popped in 5 cloves. Cooked another minute or so.
Add in three tablespoons of the finest stone ground mustard. I used Maille but if you have the time and the know how you can make your own
3 cups of broth, vegetable or chicken, I used chicken.
1 cup of heavy cream.
Cook that up for about 10 minutes or so.
Mix up a slurry of 2 tablespoons cold water to 1 tablespoon corn starch, stir in as a thickener.
Simmer until it’s as thick as you like.
If you like chunky soup, top with bacon and serve.
If you don’t like chunky soup, use a blender or immersion blender to break up the onions, leeks and garlic, top with bacon and serve.
Daaaaaang. Well done. This sounds amazing. How did it turn out?
For something called “mustard soup” it’s INCREDIBLY filling. The taste is fantastic, but neither my wife nor myself could finish our bowls, we’re going to have the rest for lunch today.
Part of that may have been that I also whipped up some English muffins for dipping.
[email protected] would love that recipe!
I’ll say this, Europeans know how to make a soup base that can accommodate any number of ingredients. Some of the best soup I’ve ever had was just from a big vat of pea soup at a university dining hall in Brussels.
bitterballen
that’s the secret ;)
Mouth
You haven’t lived until you’ve eaten mustard with your eyes, bro.
I usually put it on my food… Why, what do you normally use it for?
Thought I’d ask an interesting question. :P
But I do use it for sandwiches and salads.
Chicken salad usually, but I’ve made tuna salad with it as well although not sure if that works.
I put it on sandwiches, pork chops, hot dogs, German sausage, there’s too many to think of lol
I tend to squirt an entire bottle into my mouth while sobbing uncontrollably
Look what regex has done to this poor soul.
Regex: not even once.
By fridge-light at 2am, spread on a soft corn tortilla with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
I can fix you
No one can.
♥️
Why, how everyone eats it of course. I open a fresh bottle and stick a straw into it and go to town. How do you eat mustard op?
To answer seriously, mustard is either a condiment on a sandwich or could be a dipping sauce for meat, usually ham. It can be added into a vinnegrete salad dressing too.
Of course everyone knows about deviled eggs, but mustard as a flavor paste and an adhesive for any number of coatings used to be very popular. Older cookbooks reference it principally for reheating leftover meats.
Usually with my mouth.
mouth
I smear it all over my lower body where my tongue can reach, then lick it off, yelling “Who’s your daddy now, bitch!” at the top of my lungs. B-52’s “Love Shack” must be playing in the background.
Your local hot dog vendor must hate you
Copiously. I have yellow, dijon, whole grain, dill pickle, and horseradish mustard in the fridge. Put it on sandwiches, add it to mac and cheese, dip stuff in it, whatever.
Yeah, mustard works on pretty much everything that is savory.
Spoon to eye. Mustard mustard mustard eye.
With a spoon usually.
See you spoon
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Buy it from the Polish deli down the street, usually whole grain with some white wine in the ingredients (they label this French style). Spread it on some hearty bread together with Winiary majonez and meat of choice (pastrami is great, so is kielbasa). Toast some swiss or muenster cheese on there if I’ve got it. Polish pickles on the side, or maybe on the sandwich.
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Get honey mustard packets from Arby’s (because stupid Marzetti apparently doesn’t sell bottles anymore) and dip chicken fingers/nuggets in it.
What I should do: Join the mustard of the month club at the local cheese shop. They always have interesting varieties like curry mustard or bourbon mustard.
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Use mouth, help with hands if needed good luck