The problem is we don't actually eat much mustard. So it wasn't a priority.
Then I read a couple of posts on mustard at Chickens in the Road at the end of October and I decided that it was time.
So I went to Penzey's and got some mustard powder. And some whole mustard seed. And then it was the holidays. And birthdays. And then we needed to recover.
And then we made mustard.
I used a simple recipe and am thrilled to report that it really was simple. Ridiculously easy.
Simple Mustard
- 1/2 cup mustard powder
- 6 T whole mustard seeds, ground up a bit
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 3+ T vinegar
Mix the mustard and salt, then add the water and stir until well combined. Let it sit for 10 minutes to develop the heat. The longer you let it sit, the hotter it will get.
Add enough vinegar to get the consistency you want. The acid in the vinegar will counteract the heat. The sooner you add it, the milder your mustard. Cook's Illustrated explains why.
We couldn't decide what kind of vinegar to use - we have a dozen different types, so we divided it into three little pots and used a different vinegar in each: Chive, Italian Herb, White Wine [my own, homemade white wine vinegar].
The chive is hands down our favorite. That lovely mild, oniony flavor perfectly compliments the mustard. I'm in love.
That said, they're all very good, and I think the white wine version would be great as a base for honey mustard and that's on my list to try next.
Storage: Montana Jones has a nice post about mustards and I'm going to take his advice and leave them out of the fridge for a few weeks to mellow. When they reach the right flavor, I'll put them in the fridge.
